Error spotting with numbered parts: I was taken with surprise when I saw the beautiful Taj Mahal. Identify which numbered part of the sentence contains the error, or choose No error.

Introduction / Context:
This question tests knowledge of idiomatic prepositional usage in English. The sentence describes the speaker's reaction on seeing the Taj Mahal. The phrase taken with surprise is not the correct idiom in English; the standard expression is taken by surprise. Recognising fixed expressions and their correct prepositions is an important skill in competitive English exams.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- Sentence broken into parts:
Part (1): I was taken with surprise
Part (2): when I saw
Part (3): the beautiful Taj Mahal.
Part (4): No error
We assume the intended meaning is that the speaker was suddenly and unexpectedly surprised.

Concept / Approach:
The idiomatic phrase is to be taken by surprise, which means to be surprised unexpectedly. The preposition with does not collocate correctly with taken in this sense. The rest of the sentence, including the time clause when I saw and the phrase the beautiful Taj Mahal, is correct. Therefore, the error lies only in the first part of the sentence.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Examine part (1) I was taken with surprise. Here the structure is passive: was taken with surprise. Step 2: Recall the correct idiom: to be taken by surprise. The preposition by is always used in this phrase. Step 3: Therefore, part (1) should read I was taken by surprise. Step 4: Look at part (2) when I saw. This is a correct time clause introducing the event of seeing. Step 5: Check part (3) the beautiful Taj Mahal. The noun phrase correctly includes the article and the proper noun Taj Mahal. Step 6: Since parts (2) and (3) are correct and only the preposition in part (1) is wrong, the error is confined to part (1).

Verification / Alternative check:
A corrected version of the full sentence is: I was taken by surprise when I saw the beautiful Taj Mahal. This version reads smoothly and matches common usage found in reliable English texts. We can test similar expressions like taken by storm and taken by force, where by is also required. This pattern supports the choice of by rather than with in the idiom.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- Error in part (2) only: When I saw is a perfectly correct clause and needs no change.

- Error in part (3) only: The noun phrase the beautiful Taj Mahal is correct in both grammar and capitalization.
- No error in the sentence: This would wrongly accept a non idiomatic preposition and must therefore be rejected.
- Error in more than one part: Only the first part requires correction, so this option is incorrect.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners often confuse prepositions with similar meanings such as with, by, and in. They may also translate literally from another language, producing awkward combinations. Remember that many English phrases are fixed idioms, and their prepositions cannot be changed freely. Learning common expressions like by chance, by mistake, and by surprise can greatly reduce errors in such questions.

Final Answer:
Correct option: Error in part (1) only.