Question

Fill in the blank with the most appropriate word.
She _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ since last week.
A. is ill
B. was ill
C. had been ill
D. has been ill
E. will be ill

Answer 1

Hint: The correct option to be chosen refers to a present perfect progressive tense. It indicates that something is still in progress, at the current time.

Complete answer:
Let us analyze the given options:
Option A is incorrect. As the hint suggests, Option A is not a present perfect progressive tense. Hence, this option is wrong.
Option B is also incorrect. ‘Was ill’ cannot be used in the sentence given. Firstly, it indicates a past tense and secondly this option, if used will make the sentence incorrect grammatically. Thus, Option B is also wrong.
Option C is incorrect. ‘Had been ‘is a past perfect progressive tense that shows that an action which started in the past continued up until another time in the past.
The sentence given does not suggest the same, therefore Option C is not the right answer.
Option D is absolutely correct. ‘Has been’ is a Present perfect progressive tense which describes an action that began in the past, continues in the present, and may continue into the future. This option fits the sentence perfectly and also matches the hint as well as the literal meaning of the sentence. Hence, Option D is right.
Option E is absolutely wrong. It makes no sense, if used in the sentence.

Hence the correct answer is option ‘D’.

Note: In order to understand the present perfect progressive tense, the given points should be kept in mind -
The Present Perfect Progressive Tense
1. Use since or ever since with a specific month, year or a period in the past > I have been jogging in this park since 2002 / He has been staring at the wall ever since he heard the news.
2. Use for several hours, days, months, years > She's been talking on the phone for 3 hours.