might imply that her decision or the fact that she will get rid of her teddy bears is gradual. The sentence can be rewritten to maintain its meaning, however, by using a noun or a different grammatical aspect of the verb, or by avoiding the informal "get rid": She decided to get rid of her teddy bear collection gradually. She decided she would gradually get rid of the teddy bears she had collected. She decided to rid herself gradually of the teddy bears she had collected. Fowler notes that the option of rewriting is always available but questions whether it is always worth the trouble. See also Common English usage misconceptions Notes References Further reading AUE: The alt.usage.english Home Page FAQ entry on split infinitives. Huddleston, Rodney D. and Pullum, Geoffrey K. (2002). The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language, Cambridge University Press. . (See especially pp. 581–582.) The Columbia Guide to Standard American English External links English usage controversies English grammar Word order