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When you split 'will' away from the verb that it is putting into the future tense, what do you call it?

For example:

We will then analyse this information.

This is similar to splitting the infinitive, or tmesis - I guess.

Ashley
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    I don't know a name other than tmesis (which in my experience is usually used when a single word is divided, as "abso-bloody-lutely"). There is no reason to regard "will analyse" as a element which should stay together - it is only called a "future tense" because other languages have future tenses - so I don't think there's much call for a word for putting something else in between. – Colin Fine Jan 20 '16 at 12:12
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    Interesting. I always thought tmesis was when a word was split; didn't realize it was also when phrasal verbs are interrupted. I'm honestly a bit disappointed that the latter could also be called tmesis... – Tim Ward Jan 20 '16 at 15:07

2 Answers2

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Words like "will", "do," and "have" are called auxiliaries or auxiliary verbs. Words like "should,", "would," "could," and "must" are called modals or modal verbs.

Both auxiliaries and modals combine with other verbs and can be split away from them. The phenomenon is called verb splitting, auxiliary splitting, or modal splitting.

Here is a blog which uses the phrase "split verb" to refer to the more general phenomenon, encompassing split infinitives, split auxiliaries, and split modals.

DyingIsFun
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An example:

We will not eat a banana.

not is not part of the verb, so you are splitting apart will and eat.

Elliot A.
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