To Be or Not to Be: The Infinite Argument on Split Infinitives
- Chona
- Sep 30
- 3 min read
Language is dynamic, which means that what was once considered a rigid rule from centuries ago can now be treated with laxity in the present. Such is the case for split infinitives.
What’s an Infinitive?
An infinitive is a verb’s base form that acts as an adverb, noun, or adjective in a sentence. There are two types of infinitives: the first is full infinitives (also called the “to” infinitive), and the second is the bare infinitive (those that have verbs such as should, must, can, hear, feel, see, make, and let without the “to”). For the sake of brevity of discussion, let’s focus on the former type because split infinitives only apply to it.
As a Noun
An infinitive can act as a noun when it becomes a subject or a direct object of the sentence.
She needed to win her mother’s approval. (In this sentence, “win” acts as a noun because it is the object of the verb “needed.”)
To punish is just; to forgive is divine. (In this sentence, the phrases “to punish” and “to forgive” act as the sentence’s subject.)
As an Adjective
When an infinitive phrase modifies a noun or pronoun, it becomes an adverb.
He has a lot of books to read. (The infinitive phrase in this sentence modifies the noun “books.”)
As an Adverb
An infinitive becomes an adverb when it provides a reason for an action.
My mother was excited to tell me about the good news. (In this sentence, the mother’s excitement was the reason why she told the good news. Also, the infinitive phrase modifies the adjective “excited,” which makes the infinitive act as an adverb.)
“IIlegal” Insertion
Now, you may notice in the given examples that the full infinitives start with “to” followed by the base form of a verb. When you put a word (usually an adverb) between them, that’s when the split infinitive comes in.
He wanted to boldly confess his feelings last night.
She was carefree enough to happily say “yes.”
Meanwhile, I was there and wanted to loudly shout for joy.
To Split or Not to Split
For a very long time, English language experts from the 17th and 18th centuries tried their best to conform English to Latin grammar. It has to be noted that there are no split infinitives in the Latin grammar, simply because it cannot be done. (In Latin, infinitives are written in a single word.)
That is not to be argued nowadays, because modern experts find the reasoning irrelevant. To add to it, split infinitives can sometimes provide more clarity to the sentence. Transferring the placement of the inserted word may change the meaning of the sentence.
Saying “I was always reminded to be kind” is different from “I was reminded to always be kind.”
The question is, how do you really want to convey your sentence? If split infinitives are necessary for the flow and natural rhythm, then by all means, use them. On the other hand, if they create ambiguity and confusion, avoid using them. However, be mindful of the type of writing you’re working on. You may want to avoid using split infinitives in formal and academic writing to keep a more serious tone in the document. (But even that is not to be taken dogmatically.)
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