In this error spotting question, identify the part of the sentence that contains a grammatical error: "She was so (1) near to (2) achieving her goal. (3) No Error (4)".

Introduction / Context:
Error spotting questions require you to examine a sentence divided into numbered parts and find the segment that contains a grammatical or usage error. Here the sentence describes a person being very close to achieving a goal. The error lies in the incorrect preposition or structure used after the adjective "near".

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The sentence is broken as "She was so (1) near to (2) achieving her goal. (3) No Error (4)".
• The phrase "so near to achieving her goal" is meant to describe proximity to success.
• We must determine whether any segment misuses an adjective, preposition, or other grammar element.
• The standard expression in English is "near achieving" or "very near to something" like a place or noun, not usually "near to" followed by a gerund here.

Concept / Approach:
In English, "near" can function both as an adjective and as a preposition. With a noun, both "near" and "near to" can sometimes be heard, but in many standard constructions, "near" alone is preferred. When "near" is followed by a gerund clause describing an action, such as "achieving her goal", the usual and more natural form is "near achieving her goal" without "to". Thus, the presence of "to" after "near" in this sentence is unnecessary and non standard. The rest of the sentence is grammatically correct.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Read the sentence as a whole: "She was so near to achieving her goal."Step 2: Focus on the phrase "near to achieving", as this looks slightly awkward.Step 3: Recall that the natural phrase is "so near achieving her goal" or "so close to achieving her goal".Step 4: Realise that "to" is not needed after "near" in this context with a gerund clause.Step 5: Conclude that part (2) contains the error because of the unnecessary preposition "to".

Verification / Alternative check:
If we correct the sentence to "She was so near achieving her goal", it sounds smooth and correct. Alternatively, we could also write "She was so close to achieving her goal", where "close to" is the fixed combination. This confirms that the underlying idea is fine, and only the exact word choice around "near" needs correction. Parts (1) and (3) do not contain errors, and part (4) is simply the "No Error" option.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Option A (part 1 "She was so") is correct; "so" is commonly used before adjectives to intensify them.
• Option C (part 3 "achieving her goal") is grammatically correct and expresses the intended meaning clearly.
• Option D (part 4 "No Error") is wrong because there is indeed an error in part (2).

Common Pitfalls:
Students may accept "near to" without question because they are familiar with "close to". Although "near to" can appear in some constructions, exam setters often test this subtle distinction in error spotting items. It is important to notice which adjective the preposition is associated with and whether that combination is standard in the given structure. Here "close to achieving" is natural, while "near achieving" is preferred without "to".

Final Answer:
The error is in part 2, which contains the unnecessary preposition "to" after "near".