split an infinitive
Insert between particles
To split an infinitive is to insert a word, usually an adverb, between "to" and a verb: to boldly go, to really understand.
Traditional grammar rules prohibited this construction, but the prohibition has largely faded.
Most contemporary usage guides consider split infinitives acceptable when they sound natural, and avoiding them can produce awkward phrasing.
- verbAction-expressing word
- grammaticalFollowing language rules
- nonstandardDeparting from established norms
- grammar rulesLanguage structure standards
- usageAct of employing something
construction · language · predicate · descriptivism · proper English · formal writing · stylistic choice · writing style · word order · syntax · prose style · verb phrase · dangling modifier · emphasis · clarity · modifier · diction · sentence structure
split, splits, splitting, splitter, infinitive, infinitives, infinite, infinity, finite