Is It OK to Split Infinitives?
Yes, splitting infinitives is grammatically acceptable in modern English. 'To boldly go' is perfectly correct despite placing 'boldly' between 'to' and 'go.' The rule against splitting infinitives was invented in the 1800s by grammarians who wanted English to mimic Latin (where infinitives cannot be split). Most style guides now accept split infinitives.
Key Takeaways
- An infinitive is the base form of a verb with 'to' (to run, to eat, to write).
- Some formal or conservative contexts may still prefer unsplit infinitives.
- Multiple adverbs between 'to' and the verb ('to always completely understand') can be awkward.
Explanation
An infinitive is the base form of a verb with 'to' (to run, to eat, to write). A split infinitive places a word (usually an adverb) between 'to' and the verb: 'to really understand' or 'to carefully examine.' This construction has been used in English for centuries and is natural to native speakers.
The 'rule' against splitting infinitives emerged in the 19th century when grammarians tried to impose Latin grammar onto English. In Latin, infinitives are single words and cannot be split. But English is not Latin, and applying Latin rules to English creates artificial restrictions.
Today, major style guides (Chicago Manual of Style, AP Stylebook, Fowler's Modern English Usage) acknowledge that split infinitives are acceptable, especially when they sound more natural or clearer. 'To boldly go' sounds better than 'to go boldly' or 'boldly to go.' Avoiding splits can sometimes create awkward sentences.
The split infinitive debate highlights a broader tension in English grammar between prescriptivism (following fixed rules) and descriptivism (describing how language is actually used). Henry Alford, Dean of Canterbury, is often credited with popularizing the anti-split rule in his 1864 book 'The Queen's English.' However, he actually wrote that he saw no grammatical reason to prohibit it, only that it was inelegant. Later grammarians hardened his preference into a rigid rule that persisted in schools for over a century.
Avoiding a split infinitive can sometimes change the meaning of a sentence or create ambiguity. Consider 'She decided to gradually increase her savings.' Moving 'gradually' gives different readings: 'She decided gradually to increase her savings' (the decision was gradual), 'She decided to increase gradually her savings' (awkward), or 'She decided to increase her savings gradually' (acceptable but slightly changes emphasis). In legal, scientific, and technical writing, clarity is paramount, and splitting the infinitive is often the clearest construction. The US Supreme Court has used split infinitives in its opinions, as have Nobel Prize-winning authors like Toni Morrison.
Things to Know
- Some formal or conservative contexts may still prefer unsplit infinitives.
- Multiple adverbs between 'to' and the verb ('to always completely understand') can be awkward.
- The Star Trek phrase 'to boldly go where no man has gone before' is a famous split infinitive.
- Other 'rules' with similar dubious origins include never ending a sentence with a preposition and never starting a sentence with a conjunction (both of which are perfectly acceptable in standard English).