exactly

english infinitives are two words, so you can split them. Just like you can split phrasal verbs because they are in two parts.

The proof is that people use this structure and other people understand it. And it's not a recent thing - people have been splitting the infinitives in english since Ben Johnson and company.

Its acceptable in many situations, but like everything, has a certain level of formality which should be respected when employing it.

Posted By: Dave in France on July 13th 2007 at 16:03:23

Message Thread

OK, what can you see out of your window right now? (n/m) (General Chat) - BSE Canary, Jul 13, 15:12:28
- Hello (n/m) (General Chat) - moto, Jul 13, 15:48:37
- STATIONNEMPENT INTERDIT (General Chat) - Dave in France, Jul 13, 15:40:57
  - and without the p (n/m) (General Chat) - Dave in France, Jul 13, 15:41:09
    - But the spelling doesn't matter (n/m) (General Chat) - Old Git, Jul 13, 15:42:25
      - true (General Chat) - Dave in France, Jul 13, 15:45:24
        
        .................... (General Chat) - Old Git, Jul 13, 15:48:32
        
        good point (General Chat) - Dave in France, Jul 13, 15:50:01
        
        By the way (General Chat) - Old Git, Jul 13, 15:55:06
        
        exactly (General Chat) - Dave in France, Jul 13, 16:03:23
        
        But you said (General Chat) - Old Git, Jul 13, 16:08:05
        
        the use of the word "infinitive" for to + verb (General Chat) - Dave in France, Jul 13, 16:15:39
        
        But Dave (General Chat) - Old Git, Jul 13, 16:23:23
        
        the latin infinitive is the closest thing in the 'classics' to the english to+base verb (General Chat) - Dave in France, Jul 13, 16:33:27
        
        I'm not going there, because we're never going to agree and the argument would descend (General Chat) - Old Git, Jul 13, 16:49:21
        
        wiki alert, cheat cheat cheat cheat (General Chat) - etc etc, Jul 13, 16:51:38
        
        It's in quotes you twat (General Chat) - Old Git, Jul 13, 16:53:45
        
        i could use wiki to back up my argument too (General Chat) - Dave in France, Jul 13, 17:01:52
        
        No, I agree that there is no definitive answer, and that essentially it is a style point (General Chat) - Old Git, Jul 13, 17:08:42
        
        So what you're saying is it didn't really matter that someone made an input error on here? (n/m) (General Chat) - etc etc, Jul 13, 17:11:56
        
        I quite enjoyed all that (n/m) (General Chat) - camcan, Jul 13, 17:11:12
        
        I wasn't, I have no idea what either of you are talking about (n/m) (General Chat) - etc etc, Jul 13, 16:57:29
        
        I've never been in starbucks, but I guess this is the kind of chat that goes on (n/m) (General Chat) - etc etc, Jul 13, 16:47:12
- The Danish Foreign Ministry - possibly the ugliest building in Copenhagen (General Chat) - BerlinCanary, Jul 13, 15:35:50
  - The ugliest building in norwich is either (General Chat) - Tomblander, Jul 13, 15:37:14
    - What about the whole of St Stephen's? (General Chat) - Garry Brooke, Jul 13, 15:52:11
- mainly (General Chat) - blindasabat, Jul 13, 15:32:23
- people wandering about in apartments (General Chat) - Brandonio, Jul 13, 15:31:08
  - You sure that was a window an not a mirror (n/m) (General Chat) - nixon, Jul 13, 15:44:35
- The Liver Building, and the corner of the Cunard Building. (n/m) (General Chat) - tudders, Jul 13, 15:28:32
  - Calm down, la. (n/m) (General Chat) - Arizona Bay, Jul 13, 15:30:08
    - Don't skit me there lad. A. (n/m) (General Chat) - tudders, Jul 13, 15:32:11
- Norwich Cathedral and Castle (just) (General Chat) - mr carra, Jul 13, 15:24:43
  - Where do you work? (n/m) (General Chat) - Brom, Jul 13, 15:28:02
    - in Norwich (surprise!!) (General Chat) - mr carra, Jul 13, 15:40:59
      - I guessed that! Just wondered where abouts. I work on Thorpe Road - have similar view :o) (n/m) (General Chat) - Brom, Jul 13, 15:53:35
    - In Cambridge (n/m) (General Chat) - Kings Lynn Canary, Jul 13, 15:37:35
- Three gypsy kids proffing the tin cans out of my bin (n/m) (General Chat) - Tomblander, Jul 13, 15:23:20
- left: some trees in the foreground, and in the background the hill with the Ski Village (General Chat) - Arizona Bay, Jul 13, 15:18:42
  - Matt's vocabulary and spelling are coming along but his creative writing still leaves much (General Chat) - Old Git, Jul 13, 15:23:29
    - You what, Grandad? (n/m) (General Chat) - Arizona Bay, Jul 13, 15:24:50
- Carrow Road (n/m) (General Chat) - Brom, Jul 13, 15:15:53
- The sea (General Chat) - Gay_Nigel, Jul 13, 15:15:20
  - Make it interesting then, or stop moaning (General Chat) - Old Git, Jul 13, 15:17:15
    - Too (General Chat) - Gay_Nigel, Jul 13, 15:29:04
      - Don't let the door handle slide into your arse on the way out (n/m) (General Chat) - Old Git, Jul 13, 15:32:28
        
        Why on earth not? (n/m) (General Chat) - Gay_Nigel, Jul 13, 15:36:56
        
        Cos it makes it slippery for the next person (n/m) (General Chat) - Old Git, Jul 13, 15:39:13
        
        Not slippery...... (General Chat) - Gay_Nigel, Jul 13, 15:42:02
        
        Bye bye big boy (n/m) (General Chat) - Old Git, Jul 13, 15:43:11
- The spire of St Brides Fleet Street, some palm trees on a roof terrace (General Chat) - Old Git, Jul 13, 15:15:15
  - possible winner (n/m) (General Chat) - BSE Canary, Jul 13, 15:16:45
- Some blokes messing around with a shopping trolley at a non ferrous casting company (n/m) (General Chat) - BSE Canary, Jul 13, 15:13:32
- a natwest bank and a bus stop (General Chat) - megson, Jul 13, 15:13:23
- Hollyhocks. (n/m) (General Chat) - Garry Brooke, Jul 13, 15:12:59
  - gaylord (n/m) (General Chat) - Old Git, Jul 13, 15:15:35

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