Sentence Correction

Brutus and Cassius, in participating in the brutal assassination of Julius Caesar, did something that was beyond what the Roman people were willing to accept, even though their motives might have been noble in doing so.

(A) Brutus and Cassius, in participating in the brutal assassination of Julius Caesar, did something that was beyond what the Roman people were willing to accept, even though their motives might have been noble in doing so

(B) For Brutus and Cassius to participate in the brutal assassination of Julius Caesar, however noble their motives might have been, was beyond what the Roman people were willing to accept

(C) By participating in the brutal assassination of Julius Caesar, Brutus and Cassius, although their motives might have been noble, did something beyond what was acceptable to the Roman people

(D) With possibly noble motives, Brutus' and Cassius' participation in the brutal assassination of Julius Caesar was what was beyond the Roman people's willingness to accept

(E) Julius Caesar was brutally assassinated, and by their participation in this, Brutus and Cassius went beyond what was acceptable for the Roman people, and their motives might have been noble in doing so.

Source: Magoosh

OA: B

I'm skeptical of the OA.
For Brutus and Cassius to participate...was beyond what the Roman people were willing to accept.
Here, the subject of was seems to be the prepositional modifier in red.
A modifier cannot serve as a subject.
I would ignore this SC.

GMATGuruNY wrote:I'm skeptical of the OA.
For Brutus and Cassius to participate...was beyond what the Roman people were willing to accept.
Here, the subject of was seems to be the prepositional modifier in red.
A modifier cannot serve as a subject.
I would ignore this SC.

Dear GMATGuru

Out of GMAT, can prepositional modifier be a subject?

Some sources cite the 'to-infinitive' could function as subject and in some place it could be more complex as per University of collage London.

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/internet-grammar/f ... subjpp.htm

Therefore, the subject in the prompt is infinitive form and the phrase ' For y to do X' is idiomatic.

What do you think? is it debatable topic?

Thanks

Mo2men wrote:

GMATGuruNY wrote:I'm skeptical of the OA.
For Brutus and Cassius to participate...was beyond what the Roman people were willing to accept.
Here, the subject of was seems to be the prepositional modifier in red.
A modifier cannot serve as a subject.
I would ignore this SC.

Dear GMATGuru

Out of GMAT, can prepositional modifier be a subject?

No.

Some sources cite the 'to-infinitive' could function as subject and in some place it could be more complex as per University of collage London.

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/internet-grammar/f ... subjpp.htm

An infinitive phrase can serve as a subject.
Correct: To know Mary is to like Mary.
Here, to know Mary is the subject of is.

Therefore, the subject in the prompt is infinitive form and the phrase ' For y to do X' is idiomatic.

for X to do Y is idiomatic.
Correct: For government to function properly, each branch must play its role.
Here, the phrase in blue is a MODIFIER serving to explain WHY each branch MUST PLAY its role.
While for X to do Y is idiomatic, it constitutes a modifier and thus cannot serve as the subject of a verb.