To infinitive prepositional phrases

Question

A. Can you please explain to me which is the best way of modern Email Marketing to increase your business ROI?

I found sentence A on Google.

Q1) is sentence A correct English?

Q2) What does this to-infinitive phrase "to increase your business ROI" modify, given "the best way" and "modern Email Marketing?

I think the infinitive phrase modifies "the best way".

I'm curious to know what are the correct answers.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

fire1
A. Can you please explain to me which is the best way of modern Email Marketing to increase your business ROI?
Q1) is sentence A correct English?

No. The correct form is as follows.

Can you explain what the best way is [for modern email marketing to increase return on investment]?

The bracketed part above is a non-finite clause, specifically, an infinitive clause.

The use of an explicit subject in such a clause is optional, and if there is one, it is preceded by the word 'for'. Thus, the subject of the clause is 'modern email marketing', and the predicate is 'increase return on investment'.

As with finite clauses, neither the subject nor the predicate of the clause is regarded as modifying anything.

Further, 'the best way' is the subject of another clause in which the non-finite clause is embedded as a modifier of 'the best way'. So the larger clause (omitting the modifier) is

the best way is what

And with the modifier

the best way [for modern email marketing to increase return on investment]"
.... is what

Inverting to put it in question form:

(explain) what the best way is [for modern email marketing to increase return on investment]

fire1
Q2) What does this to-infinitive phrase "to increase your business ROI" modify, given "the best way" and "modern Email Marketing?
I think the infinitive phrase modifies "the best way".

All this is explained above.

CJ

To infinitive prepositional phrases

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