Tickets on hold vs. Tasks "on hold"

Picture yourself in a boat on a river with tangerine trees and marmalade skies. No. Picture a ticket with a few tasks. A student employee working on one of the tasks wants to put the task on hold but instead puts the ticket on hold probably because a task can't be put on hold and the person doesn't have much experience to know what to do. This stops all work on a ticket instead of just on the task. What is the best in class way to handle a task that is "on hold" where it doesn't stop work on the ticket?