based on / on the basis of

Q25 - Based on accounts of various ancient writers, scholars have painted a sketchy picture of the activities of an all-female cult that, perhaps as early as the sixth century B.C., worshipped a goddess known in Latin as Bona Dea, “the good goddess.”
(A) Based on accounts of various ancient writers,
(B) Basing it on various ancient writers’ accounts,
(C) With accounts of various ancient writers used for a basis,
(D) By the accounts of various ancient writers they used,
(E) Using accounts of various ancient writers,

GmatKiss wrote:Based on the growth rates of large modern reptiles such as the Galapagos tortoise and examinations of fossils of juvenile dinosaurs, scientists estimate that the largest dinosaurs probably lived to be between 100 and 200 years old.
A Based on the growth rates of large modern reptiles such as
B On the basis of growth rates of large modern reptiles such as
C Based on the growth rates of large modern reptiles like
D On the basis of growth rates of large modern reptiles, like those of
E Based on such growth rates as those of large modern reptiles like

What is the difference between based on / on the basis of?

Jim@Grockit wrote:

GmatKiss wrote:Based on the growth rates of large modern reptiles such as the Galapagos tortoise and examinations of fossils of juvenile dinosaurs, scientists estimate that the largest dinosaurs probably lived to be between 100 and 200 years old.
A Based on the growth rates of large modern reptiles such as
B On the basis of growth rates of large modern reptiles such as
C Based on the growth rates of large modern reptiles like
D On the basis of growth rates of large modern reptiles, like those of
E Based on such growth rates as those of large modern reptiles like

What is the difference between based on / on the basis of?

"Based" is a participle/adjective, so "based on" needs to modify a particular noun. "On the basis of" is a prepositional phrase, and need not modify a particular noun. Both are modifying phrases, though, and follow the normal rules for that (they want to be as close as possible to the thing they modify).

GmatKiss wrote:OA : B