Bunuel
Based on accounts of his contemporaries, academicians have reconstructed a rough timeline of the life and career of William Shakespeare, who left behind virtually no firsthand accounts of his childhood in Stratford-upon-Avon or career in London.
(A) Based on accounts of his contemporaries
(B) Basing it on his contemporaries’ accounts
(C) With accounts of his contemporaries used for a basis
(D) Using accounts of his contemporaries
(E) By the account of his contemporaries they used
The primary issue that I could gauge right from the outset were- The word academicians is incorrectly modified by the clause "
Based on accounts of his contemporaries...."
Let's look at the answer choices and eliminated.
(A) Based on accounts of his contemporaries
Misplaced modifier. Eliminate.
(B) Basing it on his contemporaries’ accounts
Incorrect usage of Present Perfect tense. Eliminate.
(C) With accounts of his contemporaries used for a basis
We need the sentence to be in active voice. Eliminate.
(D) Using accounts of his contemporaries
Concise and logical. Keep.
(E) By the account of his contemporaries they used
Unidiomatic. Eliminate.