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The couple shut themselves away



 
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The couple shut themselves away #1 (permalink) Fri Nov 26, 2004 1:46 am   The couple shut themselves away
 

Test No. incompl/inter-10 "Close/Shut", question 8

After the terrible experiences that they had been through, the couple ......... themselves away from the community.

(a) shut
(b) shuts
(c) closes
(d) closing

Test No. incompl/inter-10 "Close/Shut", answer 8

After the terrible experiences that they had been through, the couple shut themselves away from the community.

Correct answer: (a) shut

Your answer was: incorrect
After the terrible experiences that they had been through, the couple closes themselves away from the community.
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why is closes incorrect?

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Shut #2 (permalink) Fri Nov 26, 2004 9:18 am   Shut
 

It couldn't possibly be closes because the subject is they and the expression shut yourself away from means remove yourself from society and not talk to anybody.
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The couple shut themselves away #3 (permalink) Tue May 13, 2008 21:56 pm   The couple shut themselves away
 

I think the difference between close and shut is that
shut has more the sense of "separation or complete isolation from the outside", it is quantitive (complete) and qualitative (spearation) different from close.
Is that correct Alan?
Thank you in advance for answering
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The couple shut themselves away #4 (permalink) Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:38 am   The couple shut themselves away
 

I don't understand why "shut", but not "shuts"? Is it because, "the couple" as a pronoun is they, but not it? Thank you.
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The couple shut themselves away #5 (permalink) Wed Apr 29, 2009 19:15 pm   The couple shut themselves away
 

I think that after 'the couple' should be: shuts, so why it is :shut?
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The couple shut themselves away #6 (permalink) Wed Apr 29, 2009 20:01 pm   The couple shut themselves away
 

'Couple' is 3rd person plural. Only 4rd person singular uses the 's'.

It's the same as if you substituted 'they' in the sentence in place of 'the couple'.
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The couple shut themselves away #7 (permalink) Tue Jun 30, 2009 5:56 am   The couple shut themselves away
 

I think, in this sentence "Shut" is used in the past tense.Since it is an irregular verb, it is definitely Shut; not shuts or shuted:):)Look at the first part of the sentence:
"After the terrible experiences that they had been through." Past perfect in the first part, past simple in the second part. So, it is SHUT:)Smile It was all about the tense-not plural/singular forms.SmileSmile
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The couple shut themselves away #8 (permalink) Tue Jun 30, 2009 9:52 am   The couple shut themselves away
 

Natasha81 wrote:
I think, in this sentence "Shut" is used in the past tense.Since it is an irregular verb, it is definitely Shut; not shuts or shuted:):)Look at the first part of the sentence:
"After the terrible experiences that they had been through." Past perfect in the first part, past simple in the second part. So, it is SHUT:)Smile It was all about the tense-not plural/singular forms.SmileSmile

I entirely agree with your explanations. Actually, the question does not seem so hard at first glance but, to my humble opinion, it requires a bit concentration on especially the sequence of tenses.

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