Hey Bpolley,
This is the closest place to where your "intuitive" takes on SC are rewarded. This issue is known as an idiomatic issue...in other words, it's just the way English is spoken.
HOWEVER, it can still be described grammatically!
(D) who insisted that he
(E) who insisted him to
In answer choice (E), "him" is the object of "insisted." However, the verb "to insist" is not transitive, meaning it does not take an object in English. You can't say: "I insist you!" in the same way you can say "I implore you" or "I punch you."
In reality, "to insist" is a verb that takes the subjunctive construction. It must always be followed by the word "that" if you're going to have a clause after it. For example, you are allowed to say:
I insist!
But you can't say:
I insist he go to the store.
You must say:
I insist THAT he go to the store.
Why? Because the verb is taking the subjunctive. What's the subjunctive? Well look at that last example, particularly the verb "go." Notice that it's not the usual verb we'd expect here in English:
He goes to the store.
So why did we use "go" in the example? Because that's the subjunctive! Other examples of it:
I demand that he go to the store.
I require that he go to the store.
I request that he go to the store.
Hope that helps!
-t
Tommy Wallach, Company Expert
ManhattanGMAT
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