The caller was told to … the line

Analyzing the question

The sentence is: "The caller was told to ..... the line." We need the word or phrase that fits grammatically and idiomatically with "the line."

Concept

"Hold the line" is a standard telephone expression meaning "wait without ending the call." The verb hold takes "the line" as a direct object.

Phrasal verbs such as hold on are intransitive, so they don't take a direct object. You say "Hold on," or "Hold on a minute," but not "hold on the line" in formal usage. Likewise, hold off means to delay or keep something away, and hold up means to delay, rob, or support something.

Checking each option

• A. "hold off the line": makes no sense, since it means to keep the line away.
• B. "hold up the line": means to delay or obstruct the line, which is wrong in this context.
• C. "hold on the line": this is commonly said in speech, but "hold on" is an intransitive phrasal verb, so "hold on the line" is not the standard fit here.
• D. "hold the line": correct. It is the standard idiom, with hold as a transitive verb and "the line" as its object.

Answer: The caller was told to hold the line.

Exam tip: When a blank is followed directly by a noun like "the line," check whether the verb needs a particle (on, off, up). If the sentence already has an object, the plain verb usually works. Remember: "Hold the line, please" or "Hold on, please," but don't mix them.