The couple shut themselves away

[Kongo]

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?

Kongo

[Alan]

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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[Casafon]

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

[Luda]

I don't understand why "shut", but not "shuts"? Is it because, "the couple" as a pronoun is they, but not it? Thank you.

[Saneta]

I think that after 'the couple' should be: shuts, so why it is :shut?

[Skrej]

'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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[Natasha81]

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:) It was all about the tense-not plural/singular forms.

[Emir]