You may have heard people say that it isn't acceptable to split infinitives. The reason behind this long-standing tradition (I wouldn't call it a rule) is that in other languages, infinitives are always a single word, but in English, infinitives are two words that function together as a single unit. Therefore, they shouldn't not be split up.
Don't know what an infinitive is? An infinitive is the unconjugated form of a verb. Here are a few examples:
· To live
· To be
· To cry
· To run
You get it.
To split an infinitive is when you insert a word—usually an adverb—between "to" and the main verb. Here are some examples of split infinitives:
· To joyfully shout
· To morosely chant
· To quickly run
· To carefully touch
Whether it is acceptable to split infinitives is a matter of great debate, though it isn't as widely argued as the Oxford comma dilemma (in case you were wondering, I'm a wholehearted advocate of the Oxford. Long live serial commas!). The strictest grammarians will say that splitting infinitives is a no-go.
However, it will sound weird and unnatural if you avoid splitting infinitives at any cost. Therefore, unless you're writing for an audience of verb snobs, split infinitives at your leisure.
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