Let’s perfect the grammar.

At work, we took a grammar exam yesterday. It was part of our training as lesson developers of an ESL company. It was intensive but helpful. I got 75 over 100. Bad but not that really bad because I got the third highest score among the group.

My mistakes were explained. Here are the explanations that cleared my grammar understanding. I shared this to help you learn from my mistakes. Let’s perfect our grammar, but let’s do this by part.

Present Progressive or Present Perfect Progressive

Dan: You look a little tired. (You, get) __________________ enough sleep lately?
Michelle: Yes, I (sleep) _____________relatively well. I just look tired because I (feel) _______________  a little sick for the last week.
Dan: I hope you feel better soon.
Michelle: Thanks. I (take, currently) _________________ some medicine so I should feel better in a couple of days.

Answer

Dan: You look a little tired. Are you getting enough sleep lately?
Michelle: Yes, I am sleeping relatively well. I just look tired because I have been feeling a little sick for the last week.
Dan: I hope you feel better soon.
Michelle: Thanks. I am currently taking some medicine so I should feel better in a couple of days.

I was wrong in the first two blanks. I used the present perfect progressive instead of the present progressive.

Grammar: Present Progressive Tense
With the signal words, lately and currently that are used in the context, they imply the use of present progressive tense. Here are the other signal words for the use of the present progressive tense.

(Though I'm a little confused with the word, lately. I thought it signals the use of present perfect progressive instead of present progressive. According to the instructor in our office, the context tells more closely of present perfect progressive. You can comment below for the clarification of this signal word, lately.)

We use the present progressive tense for:

Actions that are taking place at the moment of speaking (now).
•    at the moment (We are taking a cup of coffee at the moment.)
•    now (Robert and Matthew are watching TV now.)
•    Listen! (Listen! Mr. Cruz, the principal, is speaking.)
•    Look! (Look! Jean is wearing a rain coat.)

Actions  that will happen in the near future.
•    tonight, this afternoon (I am going to Church this afternoon.)
•    tomorrow (I’m leaving tomorrow. I’ve already bought my plane ticket.)
•    next (We are having dinner next Tuesday.) We use here the present progressive tense noting that they break the routine of having dinner every Monday.

Actions that are currently in progress.
•    this week, these days, this year (I am moving to Baguio this week.)

Actions that are unusual to his/her daily habit.
•    I usually go to school by foot, but I am taking a bus this morning because I woke up late.

Actions that are repeatedly annoying.
•    Jacob is always complaining about the class schedule. (You are annoyed with Jacob.)

Grammar: Present Perfect Progressive
I got it right. (I just look tired because I have been feeling a little sick for the last week.)

The use of present perfect progressive tense is quite simple. You just have to remember the situation from the past until now. Usually, the prepositional phrase, for the..., signals the use of present perfect progressive.

*I will post the other grammar explanations on my test mistakes soon.