Review of the linguistic literature on the problems of Phrase Theory in Modern Linguistics

Recognizing infinitive phrases.
Infinitive phrase are always formed by the word to followed immediately by a verb. Exaples: to laugh (intransitive complete), to die (intransitive complete), to run a race (Race is a direct object so the phrase is transitive active), to be a teacher (Teacher is a predicate noun. This is intransitive linking.)
To be wealthy (Wealthy is a predicate adjective – intransitive linking.)
To be ruined (transitive passive). (E. Caldwell)
Recognize an infinitive phrase when you see one.
A n infinitive phrase will begin with an infinitive [to + simple form of the verb] and include objects and/ or modifiers. Here are some examples:
To smash a spider
To kick the ball past the dazed goalie.
Dangling Infinitive Phrases.
Even in other contexts, Infinitives, as verbs, have implied subjects the doers of the actions they represent:
I took this course to learn good grammar.
The action of this adverbial infinitive phrase has the same doer (I) as the subject of the Main Verb (took) ; just like the elliptical clause:
I took this course while talking several others.
Here the Infinitive dangles because the doer of the infinitive’s action is missing:
To avoid hurling, moderate drinking is advised.
The Dreaded Split Infinitive.
Old- fashioned usage manuals strictly forbade splitting to form the head word of the Infph with other words, like this:
Our teacher likes to clearly explain grammatical rules.
We were ordered to place the interrupting word elsewhere:
Our teacher likes to explain grammatical rules clearly.
Our teacher likes clearly to explain grammatical rules.
Table 3.
Types of Verb Phrases used in K. Macleod’s “The Wrock and Rune”

№	Types of phrases	Quantites in number	Quantites in %
1.	Verb + Noun	1948	48,7
2.	Verb + Prep + Noun	1453	36,3
3.	Verb + Adverb	439	10,9
4.	Verb + Infinitive	117	2,9
5.	Verb + Participle I	46	1,15
		4003	100%

Contemporary usage manuals permit split infinitives like this one:

Our teacher likes to clearly explain grammatical rules.
But avoid long interruptions between to and clearly, confidently, emphatically and authoritively explain grammatical rules.
Move long interruptions elsewhere:
Our teacher likes to explain grammatical rules – clearly, confidently, emphatically, and authoritatively.
To lick the grease from bis shiny fingers despite the disapproving glances of his girlfriend Gloria. (E. Caldwell)
Infinitive phrases can function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. Look at thes examples:
To finish her shift without spilling another pizza into a customer’s lap is Michelle’s only goal tonight. [To finish her shift without spilling another pizza into a customer’s lab functions as a noun because it is the subject of the sentence].