What has kept them vs. what has held them

[Ilmena]

English Language Tests, Intermediate level

ESL/EFL Test #210 "What Comes Next? (4)", question 8

They should have arrived by now. I wonder ..........

(a) what has kept them
(b) what has held them
(c) what has got them
(d) what has done them

English Language Tests, Intermediate level

ESL/EFL Test #210 "What Comes Next? (4)", answer 8

They should have arrived by now. I wonder what has kept them.

Correct answer: (a) what has kept them

Your answer was: incorrect
They should have arrived by now. I wonder what has held them.
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why not what was held them?

Ilmena

[Alan]

Hi,

'Kept' is the only possibility here as it means 'delayed'. If you wanted to use 'held' you would have to say: 'held them up'.

A
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