Sentence Correction

On account of a law passed in 1993, making it a crime punishable by imprisonment that a United States citizen hold gold in the form of bullion or coins, immigrants found that on arrival in the United States they had to surrender all of the gold they had brought with them.

A. On account of a law passed in 1993, making it a crime punishable by imprisonment that a United States citizen hold

B. With a law passed in 1933 that makes it a crime punishable by imprisonment that a United States citizen hold
C. A law passed in 1933 that made it a crime punishable by imprisonment for a United States citizen holding
D. Because of a law passed in 1933 making it a crime punishable by imprisonment for a United States citizen to hold
E. Due to a law being passed in 1933 that makes it a crime punis


I'm actually torn apart among A, C and D.

B is wrong because 'with....., immigrants.....'-> C seems to suggest that immigrants passed the law, conveying the wrong meaning.
I also think present tense in B 'makes' is ok here because 'makes' conveys that the law is still valid.

E is wrong because 'being' is unnecessary

gocoder wrote:On account of a law passed in 1993, making it a crime punishable by imprisonment that a United States citizen hold gold in the form of bullion or coins, immigrants found that on arrival in the United States they had to surrender all of the gold they had brought with them.

A. On account of a law passed in 1993, making it a crime punishable by imprisonment that a United States citizen hold

B. With a law passed in 1933 that makes it a crime punishable by imprisonment that a United States citizen hold
C. A law passed in 1933 that made it a crime punishable by imprisonment for a United States citizen holding
D. Because of a law passed in 1933 making it a crime punishable by imprisonment for a United States citizen to hold
E. Due to a law being passed in 1933 that makes it a crime punis

The agent of a COMMA + VERBing modifier must be a SUBJECT that precedes or follows the modifier.
In A, COMMA + making seems to refer to immigrants -- the following subject -- implying that IMMIGRANTS were MAKING something a crime.
Not the intended meaning.
The intended meaning is that a LAW made something a crime.
Eliminate A.

B: With a law...immigrants found that...they had to surrender all of the gold...
Here, the modifier in red implies that immigrants USED a law to perform the action in blue.
Not the intended meaning.
The intended meaning is that the action in blue was performed BECAUSE of the law.
Eliminate B.

In C, it lacks a clear antecedent.
Eliminate C.

due to is an ADJECTIVE.
It must serve to modify a NOUN.
E: Due to a law...immigrants
Here, due to seems to refer to immigrants, implying that IMMIGRANTS were DUE TO a law.
This meaning is nonsensical.
Eliminate E.

The correct answer is D.