Appropriate preposition

[sane]

Are these sentences correct?


1. He topped the list of successful candidates in ( or at/of /for) the civil service exam.


2. If he were born in the USA, he would be world famous.

[Raymott]

Are these sentences correct?


1. He topped the list of successful candidates in ( or at/of /for) the civil service exam.


2. If he were born in the USA, he would be world famous.

Yes, they are.

[sane]

Thank you.

[Tdol]

2. If he were born in the USA, he would be world famous.

I would use If he had been born in the USA...

[bhaisahab]

So would I, "were" doesn't work for me at all.

[sane]

Thank you.

[hooshdar3]

So would I, "were" doesn't work for me at all.

What do you mean "were" doesn''t workfor you?

[Raymott]

I would use If he had been born in the USA...

So would I, but I'm still reluctant to call the original wrong.

How about, "If it were made of silver, it would be tarnished by now"?
Here 'made (of silver)' is adjectival, as is 'born (in the US)'.
"If he were US-born, he would be famous by now."
No?

[bhaisahab]

I'd say "If it were made of silver.." is present tense. Present tense with "born" doesn't sound right to me.

[Tdol]

So would I, but I'm still reluctant to call the original wrong.

How about, "If it were made of silver, it would be tarnished by now"?
Here 'made (of silver)' is adjectival, as is 'born (in the US)'.
"If he were US-born, he would be famous by now."
No?

If he were US-born works for me, but the original doesn't seem adjectival to me.