Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrew H.
Split infinitives aren't errors, nor is starting a sentence with a conjunction.
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To some they might not be regarded as errors, but to most erudite people they most definitely are regarded as errors. I regard them as errors, and so do most of the professionals I work with - even American professionals. American William Strunk's "The Elements of Style" regards split infinitives as constructs to be avoided. It also recommends avoiding beginning a sentence with a conjunction. It defines writers who do so as "unskilled". The same with most British style and writing guides.
If writing one way will offend some people, and you are able to write in a manner perceived by all to be acceptable, why risk alienating any of your potential readers? Doing so seems foolish and pointless to me. People who are accepting of poor style or grammar will not be put off by an author writing well, while those who are not accepting of such things are an audience lost if you fail to write well.