In the following sentence, identify the part that contains an error: "I told to the coach(A) / that I won't be able(B) / to come for the practice.(C) / No error(D)".

Introduction / Context:
This error spotting question focuses on correct verb and preposition usage as well as tense consistency in reported speech. The sentence is: "I told to the coach(A) / that I won't be able(B) / to come for the practice.(C) / No error(D)". You must identify which part of the sentence contains a grammatical or usage error.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Part A: "I told to the coach".
• Part B: "that I won't be able".
• Part C: "to come for the practice."
• Part D: "No error".
• The intended meaning is that the speaker informed the coach about their inability to attend practice.

Concept / Approach:
The verb "tell" in English usually takes a direct object without the preposition "to". We say "tell someone something", not "tell to someone something". Correct usage is "I told the coach that..." or "I said to the coach that...". Therefore, the phrase "told to the coach" is incorrect; the preposition "to" must be removed. Part B, although it has a subtle tense issue (past "told" with "won't"), is generally accepted in conversation and is less clearly wrong than the obvious verb preposition error in part A for exam purposes.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Examine part A: "I told to the coach." Correct forms are "I told the coach" or "I said to the coach." The presence of "to" after "told" is wrong.Step 2: Examine part B: "that I won't be able." While some might prefer "wouldn't" for strict backshift, the main clear grammatical error in the sentence lies elsewhere.Step 3: Examine part C: "to come for the practice." This is acceptable standard English: "come for the practice" means attend the practice session.Step 4: Conclude that the definite, exam relevant error is in part A.

Verification / Alternative check:
Rewrite the sentence correctly: "I told the coach that I won't be able to come for the practice." This version removes "to" after "told" and sounds like natural modern English, especially in spoken form. If we alter only part B, we might say "that I wouldn't be able", which is a stylistic improvement, but exam questions typically highlight the more obvious structural mistake first—in this case, "told to the coach".

Why Other Parts Are (Relatively) Acceptable:

• Part B ("that I won't be able"): In strict reported speech after a past reporting verb, some teachers prefer "wouldn't". However, contemporary English often keeps "won't" when the future reference is still valid or strongly felt. Exams usually focus on clearer, non controversial errors.
• Part C ("to come for the practice."): This is grammatically correct; "come for the practice" is a standard expression.
• Part D ("No error"): Cannot be correct because we have already identified an error in part A.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often confuse the patterns "tell someone" and "say to someone". Remember: "tell" takes a direct object (tell him, tell the coach), while "say" takes "to" (say to him, say to the coach). Mixing these patterns leads to errors like "told to the coach". When you see "told to", it should immediately alert you to a probable mistake.

Final Answer:
The error is in part A; it should be "I told the coach", not "I told to the coach".