Is it always wrong to split an infinitive?

By Ranjana S.

Well, no. Modern educators, writers, and speakers have advocated its use; it is preferable to do so than to rephrase a sentence into a self-conscious, awkward construction in order to refrain from splitting an infinitive.

Let's recapitulate: An infinitive is the verb form preceded by to :

Example:

• To shout
• To love
• To understand

Image Source: Internet

You 'split' the infinitive when you insert a word or group of words between to and the verb. Sometimes such insertions are pain to ears because they leave the listener confounded and caught in midair, waiting intently for the infinitive to be completed-as if waiting for the thunder after the lightning.

Bad example: 

• The film-makers intend to, despite rain, hail, storm, or snow, shoot the action scene on time.

We can improve the construction by removing the 'split'-

• Despite rain, hail, or snow, the film-makers intend to shoot the action scene on time.

Most people avoid long, awkward splits.

In the following case:

• 'I don't expect you to completely understand what I've been trying to tell you.'

How would you avoid splitting the infinitive in such a sentence? 
You could say 'completely to understand' or 'to understand completely,' however, either of those changes might weaken your point. In this case, hence, the split infinitive will be favored to any other alternative.

Inference: 
If a split infinitive makes a sentence incomprehensible or difficult to read, rewrite the sentence. If a clearer, most forceful way of stating your idea seems to require a split infinitive, go ahead and split it.

Happy Split-ting!!!