Arbitrary Grammar Rules: Splitting an Infinitive

Grammar snobs who have been living in linguistic caves for all too long have an unfounded problem with splitting an infinitive, that is, placing an adverb between the two words that make the root form of the verb (e.g., to play, to sing, to write). Therefore, they find prohibitive writing phrases like to helpfully advise, to cautiously speak, and to happily walk.

The silliness of applying such a rule to every sentence shows up in these examples:

1. Split Infinitive: We plan to quickly finish this project for the Executive Vice-president.
2. No Split Infinitive: We plan quickly to finish this project for the Executive Vice-president.
3. No Split Infinitive: We plan to finish quickly this project for the Executive Vice-president.
4. No Split Infinitive: We plan to finish this project quickly for the Executive Vice-president.
5. No Split Infinitive: We plan to finish this project for the Executive Vice-president quickly.

Few people would prefer Sentence 2 or 3 because of their ambiguity or awkwardness; however, those who favor Sentence 3 or 4 to Sentence 1 have no reasonable semantic or syntactic ground on which to stand. The fact that the adverb is closer to the verb it modifies—the adverb is embedded in the verb—enhances its clarity.

1. Split Infinitive: She was hoping to efficiently go through the store with her children in tow
2. No Split Infinitive: She was hoping efficiently to go through the store with her children in tow.
3. No Split Infinitive: She was hoping to go efficiently through the store with her children in tow.
4. No Split Infinitive: She was hoping to go through the store efficiently with her children in tow.
5. No Split Infinitive: She was hoping to go through the store with her children efficiently in tow.
6. No Split Infinitive: She was hoping to go through the store with her children in tow efficiently.

Sentences 2, 5, and 6 pose clarity problems, but Sentences 3 and 4, which may be favored, are actually not as clear or fluent as the split infinitive.

So what should you do when confronted with a split infinitive during the editing phase? Exactly what I’ve said many times before in this blog: read your sentences aloud for fluency. You’ll figure it out.