What are examples of split infinitives?
An infinitive consists of the word to and the simple form of a verb (e.g. to go and to read). “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.
What does it mean to not split the infinitive?
A split infinitive is when other words creep into the middle of an English infinitive. The most famous example is Star Trek’s “to boldly go where no one has gone before”. The Victorians decided that splitting an infinitive was a grammatical mistake, and some people still agree with them. Why?
Is it acceptable to split infinitives?
Split infinitives are a specific type of misplaced modifier. Split infinitives should be avoided in formal writing. In formal writing, it is considered bad style to split an infinitive, but in more informal writing or in speech this has become more acceptable.
How do you get rid of split infinitives?
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.
Why should you not split an infinitive?
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.
Why is splitting infinitives bad?
What are infinitives in grammar?
An infinitive is formed from a verb but doesn’t act as a verb. It acts as a noun, adjective, or adverb, and it is actually made up of two words: to + verb. These two words act together as a noun, adjective, or adverb.
What kind of infinitive is to be?
The forms of the infinitive
| Active | Passive | |
|---|---|---|
| Simple infinitive | (to) write | (to) be written |
| Continuous infinitive | (to) be writing | (to) be being written |
| Perfect infinitive | (to) have written | (to) have been written |
| Perfect continuous infinitive | (to) have been writing | (to) have been being written |
Is split infinitive bad grammar?
Split infinitives should be avoided in formal writing. In formal writing, it is considered bad style to split an infinitive, but in more informal writing or in speech this has become more acceptable. In speech, the word really is often placed between to and the verb: Placing really after forget makes the second sentence sound awkward.
Is it okay to split infinitives?
Yes, it’s okay to occasionally split an infinitive! But if you can be graceful, it’s better not to split it. “It’s okay to split an infinitive occasionally” would pose a lower risk of annoying your readers than the first sentence above, which, as you may have noticed, contains a split infinitive.
What is a split infinitive rule?
“ An infinitive is the basic form of a verb, like “to be” or “to run.” A split infinitive happens when extra words appear between “to” and the bare infinitive of the verb. “Never split infinitives ” is a baseless rule.