Prescriptive disputes: split infinitives, singular they, who/whom

C2 — Pragmatics

What style guides fight about and what usage actually does: to boldly go, singular they, ending with prepositions, less/fewer

I know the canonical usage disputes, the current verdicts, and how to choose per audience.

What style guides fight about and what usage actually does: to boldly go, singular they, ending with prepositions, less/fewer

Examples

Our mission: to boldly go where no style guide has gone before. — Our mission: to boldly go where no style guide has gone before.
If a reader complains, ask them which rule they think was broken — and whom they learned it from. — If a reader complains, ask them which rule they think was broken — and whom they learned it from.

PragmaticsC2

Prescriptive disputes: split infinitives, singular they, who/whom

What style guides fight about and what usage actually does: to boldly go, singular they, ending with prepositions, less/fewer

Learning Goal

I know the canonical usage disputes, the current verdicts, and how to choose per audience.

Exam Skills:C2 Proficiency Use of English

Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?

Our mission: to boldly go where no style guide has gone before.

Our mission: to boldly go where no style guide has gone before.

If a reader complains, ask them which rule they think was broken — and whom they learned it from.

If a reader complains, ask them which rule they think was broken — and whom they learned it from.

Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?

The live disputes and the modern verdicts:

Dispute	Verdict today
split infinitive (to boldly go)	fine; split when rhythm/meaning needs it
singular they	standard for unknown/nonbinary reference: Everyone took their seat.
stranded preposition	natural: the team I work with
less/fewer	edited prose: fewer + countables; speech: less is common
whom decline	safe rule: use whom only after prepositions
none is/are	both grammatical; is = slightly formal

C2 means knowing both the rule and the reality — and choosing per audience.

Apply this grammar in C2 course exercises

Practice Exercises

Hypercorrection: avoiding all splits → unnatural adverb placement
he or she everywhere → singular they reads smoother today
*less cars in edited prose → fewer cars

Common Error Patterns

Rules over rhythm

Split/strand when natural; know your style guide

Our mission: to boldly go where no style guide has gone before.

The most famous split infinitive, embraced.

If a reader complains, ask them which rule they think was broken — and whom they learned it from.

singular they + final-position whom: both verdicts applied.

Practice in course

Apply this grammar in C2 course exercises

C2 Course

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Frequently asked questions

When is Prescriptive disputes: split infinitives, singular they, who/whom used?: C2 means knowing both the rule and the reality — and choosing per audience.
What are common mistakes with Prescriptive disputes: split infinitives, singular they, who/whom?: Hypercorrection: avoiding all splits → unnatural adverb placement he or she everywhere → singular they reads smoother today *less cars in edited prose → fewer cars

Dispute

Verdict today

split infinitive (to boldly go)

fine; split when rhythm/meaning needs it

singular they

standard for unknown/nonbinary reference: Everyone took their seat.

stranded preposition

natural: the team I work with

less/fewer

edited prose: fewer + countables; speech: less is common

whom decline

safe rule: use whom only after prepositions

none is/are

both grammatical; is = slightly formal

Frequently asked questions

When is Prescriptive disputes: split infinitives, singular they, who/whom used?

C2 means knowing both the rule and the reality — and choosing per audience.

What are common mistakes with Prescriptive disputes: split infinitives, singular they, who/whom?

Hypercorrection: avoiding all splits → unnatural adverb placement he or she everywhere → singular they reads smoother today *less cars in edited prose → fewer cars