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What is an example of a split infinitive?
A split infinitive occurs when there’s an adverb between two parts of an infinitive. “To suddenly go” and “to quickly read” are examples of split infinitives because the adverbs (suddenly and quickly) split (or break up) the infinitives to go and to read.
How do you know if an infinitive is split?
An infinitive is a verb preceded by the word to: (to write, to examine, to take, to cooperate). When an adverb appears between to and the verb itself, we get a split infinitive.
What is the rule of split infinitive?
To split an infinitive is to put a word or words between the infinitive marker—the word to—and the root verb that follows it. A common example is the Star Trek phrase “to boldly go.” Here, the infinitive to go is split by the adverb boldly.
Is it acceptable to split infinitives?
Yes, generally. Writers are often taught to avoid splitting infinitives—that is, to avoid placing a term, usually an adverb, between to and the verb: to boldly go. But words should always be arranged in a way that makes the meaning of a sentence clear.
Why is split infinitive bad?
Infinitives are the verb form that is preceded by “to.” To split an infinitive is considered a grammatical crime in many circles. Nonetheless, there is often no good reason not to split infinitives, and in some cases it can improve clarity, avoid weak language, or prevent writing from sounding overly formal.
Where did the rule about split infinitives come from?
The Origin of the Split Infinitive Rule The idea that you shouldn’t put an adverb in the middle of an infinitive was mentioned earlier but was most prominently introduced by Henry Alford, the Dean of Canterbury, in his 1864 book The Queen’s English.
How do you change a split infinitive?
A split infinitive occurs when other words come between the two parts of the infinitive. Though some writing teachers argue they are often not a big deal, they can seem informal and cause confusion. To fix a split infinitive, rearrange the sentence so that no words come between the two parts of the infinitive.