In this error detection question, identify the part containing the error in the sentence “The after morning she woke to the first ray of light through the window.”

Introduction / Context:
This question asks the learner to spot an incorrect phrase in a simple narrative sentence. The sentence is The after morning she woke to the first ray of light through the window. Such questions test common collocations in English and correct word order within noun phrases. Recognising unnatural or unidiomatic expressions is an important part of mastering exam level grammar and usage.

Given Data / Assumptions:
The sentence is divided into parts:

• Part 1: The after morning.
• Part 2: she woke to the first ray of.
• Part 3: light through the window.
• Part 4: No Error.
• The story context suggests it is describing the morning after some earlier event.

Concept / Approach:
In English, the natural expression is the next morning or the morning after, not the after morning. Therefore, part 1 contains a phrase that is not idiomatic. The rest of the sentence, she woke to the first ray of light through the window, is grammatically correct and clearly expresses the idea of waking up at dawn. Thus, we identify part 1 as the segment containing the error, while parts 2 and 3 can remain as they are for exam purposes.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Read the whole sentence: The after morning she woke to the first ray of light through the window. Step 2: Focus on the phrase The after morning. It does not sound natural in standard English usage. Step 3: Recall the correct expressions, such as The next morning or The morning after. Step 4: Check parts 2 and 3: she woke to the first ray of light through the window. This is a common and grammatically correct way to describe waking at dawn. Step 5: Since only part 1 has a clear error, it must be marked as the incorrect segment.

Verification / Alternative check:
Substitute a correct phrase into part 1 and read the sentence again. For example, The next morning she woke to the first ray of light through the window sounds smooth and correct. Similarly, The morning after she woke to the first ray of light through the window is also acceptable. Because the sentence becomes correct when only part 1 is changed, and the rest remains intact, we can confirm that the error lies in part 1 alone.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Part 2, she woke to the first ray of, correctly introduces the idea that her waking is in response to the first ray of light, which is completed by part 3. Part 3, light through the window, simply finishes this image and is grammatically sound. Part 4, No Error, is incorrect as an answer because we have already found a faulty phrase in part 1. Therefore, options b, c, and d do not identify the real error and must be rejected.

Common Pitfalls:
Some learners may overanalyse parts 2 and 3, searching for tense or article mistakes, and ignore the phrase the after morning even though it feels unusual. Another pitfall is to think that poetic or descriptive sentences may break normal rules, but exam error spotting tasks expect standard usage. To avoid such errors, learners should pay attention to commonly used time expressions and ask themselves whether a native speaker would naturally say the phrase as it appears.

Final Answer:
The incorrect expression is in part 1, where The after morning should be replaced by The next morning or The morning after in correct English.