So many accounts of this continents’ past begin with Europeans stridin

Question

So many accounts of this  continents’ past begin with Europeans striding ashore, claiming this “newfound land” and its human inhabitants for its respective empires .

(A) continents’ past begin with Europeans striding ashore, claiming this “newfound land” and its human inhabitants for its respective empires

(B) continent’s past begin with Europeans striding ashore, claiming this “newfound land” and its human inhabitants for their respective empires

(C) continents’ past begin with Europeans striding ashore, claiming this “newfound land” and its human inhabitants for their respective empires

(D) continent’s past begins with Europeans striding ashore, claiming this “newfound land” and its human inhabitants for its respective empires

(E) continent’s past begins with Europeans striding ashore, claiming this “newfound land” and its human inhabitants for their respective empires

KanishkM · Answer

The subtle difference between B and C is of the difference between continent's(singular continent) and continents’ (more than one continent)

As per the intent,we are talking about a singular continent, X, which has many accounts -> begin

As per these accounts for X, multiple empires can settle there, that is why we used "their"

B

Ayush1692 · Answer

KanishkM 
Can you explain the difference between continent's and Continents'?
Thanks

Posted from my mobile device

KanishkM · Answer

Sure  Ayush1692

So continent's => means we are talking about a singular continent

Continents' =>means more than one continent, Asia and Europe

If you have both these things clear, then the intent of the sentence was to discuss about a continent

So many  accounts (plural) of this continents’ past begin with Europeans striding ashore, claiming this “newfound land” and its human inhabitants for its respective empires.

(A) continents’ past begin with Europeans striding ashore, claiming this “newfound land” and its human inhabitants for its respective empires

(B) continent’s past  begin (plural) with  Europeans (plural) striding ashore, claiming this “newfound land” and its human inhabitants for their respective  empires (Europeans can have various empires)

sumisachan · Answer

So, here we are talking about the continent's past and not the past of several continents, that eliminates A & C.

Moving on,so many  accounts   of this continents’ past   begin  with, which means the subject is  accounts  so the verb will be plural, i.e.  begin .
This eliminates D & E.

And  unites the singular subjects, and so takes a plural verb i.e. “newfound land”  and  its human inhabitants for  their  respective empires

So,we are left with  B .

(A)  continents’  past begin with Europeans striding ashore, claiming this “newfound land” and  its human inhabitants for its respective empires

(B)  continent’s past begin with Europeans striding ashore, claiming this “newfound land” and its human inhabitants for their respective empires
 
(C)  continents ’ past begin with Europeans striding ashore, claiming this “newfound land” and  its  human inhabitants for  their  respective empires

(D) continent’s past  begins  with Europeans striding ashore, claiming this “newfound land” and  its human inhabitants for its respective empires

(E) continent’s past  begins  with Europeans striding ashore, claiming this “newfound land” and  its  human inhabitants for  their  respective empires

IMO  B

Bunuel , Have I missed any point?

Bunuel · Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION:

B. continent’s past begin with Europeans striding ashore, claiming this “newfound land” and its human inhabitants for their respective empires

As you compare answer choices, note that some present the plural form continents’ and others make it singular. Because it’s preceded by the singular this instead of the plural these, you know there is just one continent and Choices (A) and (C) are out of contention. Another discrepancy is whether the verb should be the plural begin or the singular begins. The subject is plural — accounts — so the answer needs to contain the plural form begin to agree with the subject. Choices (D) and (E) are wrong. Yet another issue is whether the last pronoun should be the plural their or the singular its. The respective empires belong to the Europeans, which is plural, so their is proper, verifying that Choice (B) is correct.

VerbalBot · Answer

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So many accounts of this continents’ past begin with Europeans stridin

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So many accounts of this continents’ past begin with Europeans stridin

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