Split Infinitive Definition and Examples

A split infinitive is a sentence with an adverb or other words interposed between the to and the verbal.

Example sentence:

• Your job is to really make the club a success. 

Adverbials are not normally placed between 'to' and the rest of the infinitive. Sometimes this rule is broken for emphasis, especially in an informal style.
In sentence above the word 'really' intensifies the meaning of 'make'.

Other examples:

• I want to really understand my son.
• She was unable to long keep silence. 

A lot of people consider it "bad style".

The most noteworthy example of split infinitive was seen in notices displayed in theatres or cinemas: "Ladies are requested to kindly remove their hats." This is a split infinitive. A lady cannot possibly be asked "to kindly"; she is asked to remove her hat. The way of avoiding it is to put the to somewhere else: "Ladies are requested kindly to remove their hats," or they are "kindly requested to remove their hats". Either way will do.

The famous American writer Raymond Chandler got very angry when his British publisher 'corrected' his split infinitives. He wrote a letter saying "When I split an infinitive, god damn it, I split it so it stays split."

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