PSAT Writing Multiple Choice Help?

Question

I have a question as to why this sentence is not gramatically correct:

1. Widowed in 1859, novelist Margaret Oliphant succeeded to provide for her own and her brother's children with the profits from her books, which numbered well over 100 volumes.

**The answer keys says the error lies at "to provide" Why is that?

Thanks!

Answer 1

It sounds better to say "succeeded in providing" rather than "succeeded to provide."  I think it is a tense issue.

Answer 2

It's the "succeeded to provide."  That phrase just doesn't work.

It should be "succeeded in proving," or, even better, just "provided."

Yes, I know I used a lot of punctuation.  It's all correct, too.  (Sorry, side note to yahoo.)

Answer 3

   My best guess is that the tense is off. It reads okay but should probably be worded as "Margaret Oliphant succeeded in providing for her..." The way it is currently worded it goes from past tense (at succeeded) to present tense (at provide). I'm not 100% certain though...