What is split infinitive example?
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 is the rule about splitting infinitives?
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.
Is it grammatically correct to split an infinitive?
Yes, generally. An infinitive is the to form of a verb: to go, to be. 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 split infinitives are 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.
What is a Concord error?
Concord error. If the subject is plural in meaning (more than one), the verb must reflect this by having a plural form. Singular subjects must be followed by a singular verb. Advice.
Why is split infinitive bad?
Is to go boldly a split infinitive?
To boldly go is a split infinitive. Boldly splits to go. When you split an infinitive, you put something (usually an adverb) between the two parts: to diligently read.
What is a split infinitive?
But before getting deeper into what a split infinitive is, let us first study what infinitive means in the English language. An infinitive in the English language is the basic form of the verb that is not used with inflection except for the preposition to before it. For example, to eat, to sing, to breathe, to play, to write.
What is an infinitive in English grammar?
An infinitive in the English language is the basic form of the verb that is not used with inflection except for the preposition to before it. For example, to eat, to sing, to breathe, to play, to write. So if you see this to + verb pattern in a sentence, you know that is an infinitive.
How do you combine sentences with infinitives?
Combining Sentences Using Infinitives – Combine the sentences in each pair by forming an infinitive phrase. Identifying Infinitive Phrases – In case a sentence doesn’t have an infinitive phrase, write none at the end of the sentence.
When did Shakespeare stop using the split infinitive?
The split infinitive was not even used in 1485, Shakespeare never used it. It was never used until the 19th century, when Fanny Burney wrote her whole lot of books where she always split her infinitives. Nobody sort of took her line on it, and it has been absolutely regarded as unacceptable ever since.