Supreme Court decisions while binding on all United States courts

Supreme Court decisions, while binding on all United States courts, leave room for interpretation; it is therefore important for lawyers and judges to be able to distinguish between dicta, which refers to the written material detailing the opinions of the prevailing justices, from holdings, which refers to the binding decisions of the law.

A) important for lawyers and judges to be able to distinguish between dicta, which refers to the written material detailing the opinions of the prevailing justices, from holdings, which refers to the binding decisions of the law
B) important that lawyers and judges be able to distinguish between dicta, which refers to the written material detailing the opinions of the prevailing justices, and holdings, which refers to the binding decisions of the law
C) important for lawyers and judges to be able to distinguish between dicta, that refers to the written material detailing the opinions of the prevailing justices, and holdings, that refer to the binding decisions of the law
D) important that lawyers and judges are able to distinguish dicta, referring to the written material detailing the opinions of the prevailing justices, from holdings, referring to the binding decisions of the law
E) important that lawyers and judges to be able to distinguish between dicta, which refers to the written material detailing the opinions of the prevailing justices, from holdings, which refers to the binding decisions of law

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

• [Paraphrasing] This question tests the idiom [Distinguish] between X and Y.
That construction is correct. [Distinguish] between X from Y is not correct.

(Another correct construction is
Distinguish X from Y)

Eliminate options A and E

• Choice B correctly changes [Distinguish] between X from Y (between . . . from) to [Distinguish] between X and Y (between . . . and).

[Option B also] correctly changes to be able to the subjunctive be able. That change must happen because of the clause it is . . . important

• Choice C removes between but does not use the other possible idiom, Distinguish X from Y;
instead choice C incorrectly uses Distinguish X and Y (distinguish . . . and . . .).
Eliminate option C

• Choice D incorrectly changes the verb to be able to are able, instead of rendering the verb in the subjunctive mood as be able.
Eliminate D.

The correct answer is B

COMMENTS

I am glad that the expression "It is (therefore) important THAT" is at issue.
Command subjunctive, discussed below, is not limited to bossy verbs.
Other constructions require the command subjunctive.
The most common of such constructions is the expression: "It is [adjective of importance] that."

***
Errors not related to command subjunctive
• Idiom - correct: Distinguish between X and Y. Wrong: Distinguish between X from Y. Discussed above.

• Usage of that.
-- As discussed in the first few posts, that must not be preceded by a comma in this context and almost always.

The word that implies an essential modifier:

Right: The house that federal agents searched for drugs is around the corner.
Wrong (remove the commas!): The house, that federal agents searched for drugs, is around the corner.

Commas imply that we can remove the information in a "non-essential modifier" without changing the core meaning of the sentence.
Correctly punctuated, but incorrect meaning: The house, which federal agents searched for drugs, is around the corner.
(Mentally remove the "which clause." Now we have a house that is merely around the corner. I am trying to describe a house that is unusual because it was searched for drugs. What is the location of house that was searched for drugs? It is around the corner.)

A slightly different sentence in which the non-essential modifier IS non-essential, correct:
The house, which is not hard to find, is around the corner.
comma + which = introduction to a NONessential modifier.
***

GENERAL APPROACH and ANALYSIS OF COMMAND SUBJUNCTIVE

• Strip the sentence, put brackets around the questionable parts, and rename long parts of no consequence with variables

Supreme Court decisions, while binding on all United States courts, leave room for interpretation; it is therefore important for lawyers and judges [to be able] to distinguish between dicta, which refers to X the written material detailing the opinions of the prevailing justices, [from] holdings, which refers to Y the binding decisions of the law[/u].

. . . It is therefore important for lawyers and judges [to be able??] to [distinguish between??] dicta, which refers to X, [from??] holdings, which refers to Y.

• Meaning: Lawyers and judges must be able to tell the difference between dicta and holdings [when they read Supreme Court opinions].

WITHOUT THE IDIOM - we can decide this question on the basis of subjunctive construction alone

• Ignore the first IC
Unless it is used in a complicated list, a semicolon always separates two independent clauses, ICs
Ignore the first IC except to note that the question is about written Supreme Court opinions. That fact is enough.

• Words and phrases that should grab our attention, especially if we scan the answer choices:
"it is important"
distinguish (already discussed in OE above)

• It is therefore important: requires the command subjunctive

If we compare answers using splits, we see that v. for
-- B, D, and E: It is therefore important that lawyers and judges . . .
-- A and C: It is therefore important for lawyers and judges . . .

If we have
IT IS + an adjective of importance, then command subjunctive is required.*

The expression it is important that is "bossing around" the subjects that follow, just as a bossy verb would boss those subjects around.

• How to construct this type of expression:

IT IS + ADJECTIVE OF IMPORTANCE + that + subject + bare infinitive (command subjunctive)

Correct: It is imperative that smoke detectors be placed in every classroom.
Wrong: It is imperative that smoke detectors are placed in every classroom.

Because A and C incorrectly use "It is important FOR," eliminate them.

• Looking for the correct verb.
Only one form is correct: the bare infinitive. Simply remove the word "to."
Infinitive = to be able [to distinguish]
Bare infinitive = be able

It is important that lawyers and judges be able [to distinguish] . . .

Option D incorrectly uses "are able." Option E incorrectly uses the infinitive "to be able."

Option B is correct.

We have no completely correct answers today, a fact that is just fine. This question is hard.
sonusaini1
Incorrect about E: "between dicta and holdings is incorrect)" -- if that statement were true, then B could not be correct
IronMaiden97
Your first sentence eliminates A and E. Your second sentence eliminates C. How do we choose between B and D?
Yash312 , the idiom in option D is okay. Both are correct: Distinguish between X and Y and Distinguish X from Y
gadde22 , "holdings" is used as a term, a singular term. That issue is hard; dicta is italicized because it is Latin. Although not italicized,
in context, "holdings" refers to a general and singular thing (the part of a Supreme Court opinion in which binding decisions of the Court are found).
kchen1994 , you are correct about option D. (Not pointing out an error. Just acknowledging your contribution, which unfortunately is not a whole solution.)

Thanks for posting, all!


**Here is a not-exhaustive sample of adjectives that require the command subjunctive when preceded by "it is."
It is important (that) the rules be followed.
It is best (that)
It is imperative (that)
It is necessary (that)
It is desirable (that) she be given access to the secret code.
It is essential (that) he cooperate with the police.
It is urgent (that)
It is recommended (that)