Error spotting with numbered parts: I finished my household chores before he reached to my place after so long. Identify the numbered part which contains the error, or choose No error.

Introduction / Context:
This question examines correct verb and preposition combinations in English. The sentence describes a person finishing household chores before someone arrived after a long time. The main issue is the incorrect use of the preposition to after the verb reached. Recognising which verbs take no preposition before an object is essential for correct and natural English.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- Sentence divided into parts:
Part (1): I finished my household chores
Part (2): before he reached to my place
Part (3): after so long.
Part (4): No error
We assume that the intended meaning is that the chores were completed before his arrival at the speaker's place.

Concept / Approach:
The verb reach is a transitive verb, which means it normally takes a direct object without a preposition. We say reach my place, reach the station, or reach home, not reach to my place. Therefore, the insertion of to after reached is grammatically wrong. The other parts of the sentence, including the time clause before he reached and the phrase after so long, are acceptable.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Examine part (1) I finished my household chores. This is a correct past tense statement with a clear object. Step 2: Examine part (2) before he reached to my place. The conjunction before is correct, but the combination reached to my place is not. Step 3: Recall the correct usage: reach takes its object directly, so we must say reached my place. Step 4: Therefore, part (2) should be corrected to before he reached my place. Step 5: Examine part (3) after so long. This phrase naturally expresses that a long time had passed since the last visit. Step 6: Since only the verb plus preposition pattern in part (2) is wrong, the error is confined to part (2).

Verification / Alternative check:
We can rewrite the sentence correctly as: I finished my household chores before he reached my place after so long. The verb now directly governs the object my place without an extra preposition. Another good check is to compare with similar verbs: arrive at my place requires a preposition, but reach my place does not. This comparison confirms that the original use of to was unnecessary and incorrect.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- Error in part (1) only: The clause I finished my household chores is fully correct; there is no error here.

- Error in part (3) only: The phrase after so long is idiomatic and grammatically sound, so part (3) is not wrong.
- No error in the sentence: This would accept reached to my place as correct English, which it is not, so this option must be rejected.
- Error in more than one part: Only part (2) requires correction, so multiple errors is not a valid judgment.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners often overuse prepositions because many verbs do require them. The influence of other verbs like go to or travel to may lead someone to say reach to. A helpful strategy is to memorise common verbs that take direct objects without prepositions, such as reach a place, discuss a topic, or enter a room. This reduces preposition-related mistakes in competitive exams.

Final Answer:
Correct option: Error in part (2) only.