Published online by Cambridge University Press: 29 November 2017
Given   $n\in \mathbb{N}$  and
 $n\in \mathbb{N}$  and   $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}>1/n$ , let
 $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}>1/n$ , let   ${\mathcal{S}}_{n}(\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F})$  denote the classical set of
 ${\mathcal{S}}_{n}(\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F})$  denote the classical set of   $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}$ -approximable points in
 $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}$ -approximable points in   $\mathbb{R}^{n}$ , which consists of
 $\mathbb{R}^{n}$ , which consists of   $\mathbf{x}\in \mathbb{R}^{n}$  that lie within distance
 $\mathbf{x}\in \mathbb{R}^{n}$  that lie within distance   $q^{-\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}-1}$  from the lattice
 $q^{-\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}-1}$  from the lattice   $(1/q)\mathbb{Z}^{n}$  for infinitely many
 $(1/q)\mathbb{Z}^{n}$  for infinitely many   $q\in \mathbb{N}$ . In pioneering work, Kleinbock and Margulis showed that for any non-degenerate submanifold
 $q\in \mathbb{N}$ . In pioneering work, Kleinbock and Margulis showed that for any non-degenerate submanifold   ${\mathcal{M}}$  of
 ${\mathcal{M}}$  of   $\mathbb{R}^{n}$  and any
 $\mathbb{R}^{n}$  and any   $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}>1/n$  almost all points on
 $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}>1/n$  almost all points on   ${\mathcal{M}}$  are not
 ${\mathcal{M}}$  are not   $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}$ -approximable. Numerous subsequent papers have been geared towards strengthening this result through investigating the Hausdorff measure and dimension of the associated null set
 $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}$ -approximable. Numerous subsequent papers have been geared towards strengthening this result through investigating the Hausdorff measure and dimension of the associated null set   ${\mathcal{M}}\cap {\mathcal{S}}_{n}(\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F})$ . In this paper we suggest a new approach based on the Mass Transference Principle of Beresnevich and Velani [A mass transference principle and the Duffin–Schaeffer conjecture for Hausdorff measures. Ann. of Math. (2) 164(3) (2006), 971–992], which enables us to find a sharp lower bound for
 ${\mathcal{M}}\cap {\mathcal{S}}_{n}(\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F})$ . In this paper we suggest a new approach based on the Mass Transference Principle of Beresnevich and Velani [A mass transference principle and the Duffin–Schaeffer conjecture for Hausdorff measures. Ann. of Math. (2) 164(3) (2006), 971–992], which enables us to find a sharp lower bound for   $\dim {\mathcal{M}}\cap {\mathcal{S}}_{n}(\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F})$  for any
 $\dim {\mathcal{M}}\cap {\mathcal{S}}_{n}(\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F})$  for any   $C^{2}$  submanifold
 $C^{2}$  submanifold   ${\mathcal{M}}$  of
 ${\mathcal{M}}$  of   $\mathbb{R}^{n}$  and any
 $\mathbb{R}^{n}$  and any   $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}$  satisfying
 $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}$  satisfying   $1/n\leqslant \unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}<1/m$ . Here
 $1/n\leqslant \unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}<1/m$ . Here   $m$  is the codimension of
 $m$  is the codimension of   ${\mathcal{M}}$ . We also show that the condition on
 ${\mathcal{M}}$ . We also show that the condition on   $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}$  is best possible and extend the result to general approximating functions.
 $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}$  is best possible and extend the result to general approximating functions.