Talking About Progress

Present perfect for achievement, self-assessment language, and reflecting on learning

Quick Chat

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Think about your English since you started learning. What can you do now that you couldn't do a year ago?

When we talk about progress, we naturally use specific grammar — present perfect for achievements, comparatives for changes, and "used to" for the past. Most of this is grammar you already know — today is about using it all together.

Speak
Imagine a friend says "I'm not making any progress with English." What would you say to encourage them? What advice would you give?

Today: the language for talking about what you've achieved, how you've changed, and what you still want to improve.

The Grammar of Progress

Three tenses work together when you talk about improvement and change:

1. Present Perfect for Achievements

"I've learned to..." / "I've improved my..." / "I've become more confident at..."

"I've got better at..." / "I've started to..." / "I've managed to..."

Present perfect connects PAST action to NOW. "I've learned 500 words" = I did this in the past AND I still know them now.

2. Used to + Past Simple for "Before"

"I used to struggle with..." / "I couldn't..." / "I found it really difficult to..."

"Before, I would always..." / "A year ago, I wasn't able to..."

This gives your "before" picture. Combine it with present perfect for a powerful before-and-after: "I used to struggle with tenses, but I've improved a lot."

3. Comparatives for Change

"I'm much better at..." / "I feel more confident..." / "It's easier now..."

"I'm not as nervous as I used to be..." / "I make fewer mistakes with..."

"More + adjective" or "adjective + -er" for positive change. "Not as... as" for things that used to be worse.

What's the difference between "I learned" and "I've learned"?

"I learned English at school" = finished time, past simple. The experience is in the past.

"I've learned a lot this year" = present perfect. The learning is connected to now — you still have this knowledge.

For talking about progress, present perfect is usually better because your progress is still relevant now.

4. "Still" and "Yet" for Ongoing Goals

"I still need to work on..." / "I haven't mastered... yet" / "I'm still working on..."

"Still" = continuing. "Yet" = expected but not done. Both are positive — they show you're aware and growing.

Try it
Talk about your English for 1 minute. Use all 4 patterns: one present perfect achievement, one "used to" for before, one comparative for change, and one "still/yet" for a goal.

Word Power

Tap to reveal. These are the words for talking about progress, learning, and self-assessment.

Achievement Verbs

improve
get better — "I've improved my pronunciation"
develop
grow/build — "I've developed my listening skills"
master
become very good at — "I haven't mastered the subjunctive yet"
overcome
beat a problem — "I've overcome my fear of speaking"
pick up
learn informally — "I've picked up a lot of slang from TV shows"

Self-Assessment Phrases

I'm comfortable with
I feel OK about — "I'm comfortable with present tenses now"
I struggle with
I find difficult — "I still struggle with articles"
my weak point is
my biggest problem — "My weak point is listening to fast speakers"
my strong point is
what I'm best at — "My strong point is vocabulary"
I need to work on
I should practise more — "I need to work on my fluency"

Change & Growth Words

progress
forward movement — "I've made a lot of progress"
confidence
belief in yourself — "My confidence has grown"
breakthrough
sudden improvement — "I had a breakthrough with phrasal verbs"
plateau
period of no progress — "I hit a plateau last summer"
setback
step backwards — "Missing classes was a setback"
Challenge
Close all cards. From memory: name two achievement verbs, two self-assessment phrases, and two change/growth words. Now use them all in a short talk about your learning.

The Progress Interview

In each round, answer the question for 2 minutes. Imagine you're being interviewed about your learning journey.

2:00
Round 1 — The Before & After
"How has your English changed in the last year?"

Give a clear before-and-after picture. What couldn't you do? What can you do now? What changed?

Must use: "I used to..." + "I've..." (present perfect) + a comparative

Round 2 — Strengths & Weaknesses
"What are you good at in English, and what do you still find difficult?"

Be honest but balanced. Name specific skills, not just "everything" or "nothing".

Must use: "My strong point is..." + "I still struggle with..." + "I need to work on..."

Round 3 — A Breakthrough Moment
"Tell me about a moment when you felt your English really improved. What happened?"

Tell a specific story. Use past tenses for the event, present perfect for the result.

Must use: past simple for the story + "Since then, I've..." + "breakthrough" or "overcome"

Round 4 — Looking Forward
"Where do you want your English to be in one year? What will you do to get there?"

Combine progress language with future plans. Show awareness of what you've done AND what's still ahead.

Must use: "I haven't... yet" + "I'm going to..." + "I want to be able to..."

Recall Zone

From CT-24: Checking You Understand
Name three polite ways to ask someone to repeat something.

"Could you repeat that?" / "I didn't quite catch that" / "Would you mind saying that again?"

Self-aware learners know when to ask for help. Clarification = strength.

From CT-23: Building an Argument
What's the Open → Develop → Close structure?

Open: state your position → Develop: give reasons + examples + other side → Close: wrap up with a concluding phrase

You can use this structure when talking about your own progress: Open (I've improved), Develop (specific examples), Close (my next goal).

From CT-22: What's Going to Happen?
How do you express predictions with different levels of certainty?

"I will definitely..." (100%) → "I'll probably..." (90%) → "I might..." (50%) → "I probably won't..." (30%)

Use hedging when setting goals: "I'll probably be able to..." is more realistic than "I will definitely..."

What did you learn?

Final challenge
Give a 2-minute "progress report" on your English. Cover: what you've achieved, what's changed, what you still find difficult, and your goals. Use at least 6 different phrases from today's lesson.

Being able to talk about your own learning is a sign of a mature speaker. How often do you reflect on your progress?

← CT-24