Split Infinitives – Definition And Examples

Split infinitives are a common phenomenon in academic writing and the realm of language rules. An infinitive refers to the fundamental form of a verb, usually introduced by the word “to.” Split infinitives emerge when adverbials or adverbs are placed between “to” and the verb. It is widely argued that split infinitives pose grammatical errors, however, most style guides accept them for emphasis and clarity. This article will define split infinitives and illustrate how they are used correctly in a sentence.

Definition: Split infinitive

An infinitive defines a verb in its uninflected form, e.g., “to do,” “to go,” “to say,” “to make,” etc. In most cases, it is indicated by placing “to” prior to the verb. Regarding this, split infinitives define when a modifier is placed between the “to” and the verb.

Examples of split infinitives

Split infinitives can alter the meaning of a sentence or emphasize different parts of the sentence or phrase. In formal writing, it is generally correct to place the adverb at the end of the sentence.

However, when placing “immediately” between the infinitive verb, the importance to prioritize selecting the target group is emphasized:

When infinitives should not be split

Infinitives should not be split, if it would cause confusion and ambiguity and if there is no reason to split them for emphasis.

In general, it is not advised to use them, especially in academic writing, as they may sound awkward or informal. Therefore, it is imperative to thoroughly choose when to use them when writing an academic paper.