Correct usage of "with" in a prepositional phrase

Question

India, like Italy and China, has no single dominant cuisine: Indian food comprises many different styles of cooking, with each a product of their regional influences, from the fiery vegetarian dishes of the south to the Portuguese-influenced Goan cooking of the west, to the more familiar Mogul food of the north.

a) with each a product of their
b) with each as a product of its
c) each products of their
d) each a product of
e) each products of

Source: Official GMAT Paper Test Question

Experts please explain, why option B is wrong? Why is it wrong "with each as a product" to modify "styles of cooking" ?

Why the pronoun "its" is incorrect in option B. Isn't this pronoun referring to "each" ?

Experts please help, I am really confused. :roll:

GMATPill · Answer

I surprisingly arrived at (D) in less than 10 seconds. Here's how:

Step 1) I recognize this sentence structure--they're trying to describe the many different styles - but you want to describe them individually in a certain way. So I knew you have to use the word "each" in the beginning. That narrows it to (C), (D), and (E).

Step 2) When you say "each" - it's singular so whatever follows must be the SINGULAR form - even though the overall context of what we're talking about is plural (styles). Recognizing this potential trap and knowing what the answer should be, I was able to identify (D) as the only answer choice that as the SINGULAR form of "product"

Step 3) Choose (D) confidently and move on.

Hope that helps.

Correct usage of "with" in a prepositional phrase

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards