English grammar error-spotting (reporting verbs: ‘‘tell’’ vs ‘‘say to’’ complementation): Read the sentence in four labeled parts (A–D) and identify which part contains the error; if none, choose ‘‘No error.’’ Focus on verb + object pattern: ‘‘The man told to her / that he had not brought his dog / out for a walk as he was afraid that it would rain. / No error.’’

Given data

• A: ‘‘The man told to her’’
• B: ‘‘that he had not brought his dog’’
• C: ‘‘out for a walk as he was afraid that it would rain.’’
• D: ‘‘No error.’’

Concept / ApproachThe verb ‘‘tell’’ takes a direct object without a preposition: ‘‘tell her …’’; ‘‘say’’ can take the preposition: ‘‘say to her …’’.

Step-by-step checkStep 1: Replace ‘‘told to her’’ → ‘‘told her’’.Step 2: Remaining parts (reported clause in past perfect; reason clause) are fine.

Correction‘‘The man told her that he had not brought his dog out for a walk as he was afraid that it would rain.’’

Common pitfalls

• Mixing the patterns ‘‘tell + object’’ and ‘‘say to + object’’.

Final AnswerThe man told to her