To indicate something that started in the past and has just finished, we use the present perfect continuous (voltooid tegenwoordige tijd met de -ing vorm).
The present perfect continuous is made byt: have/has + been+ verb + ing.
Examples:
John hasbeenstudying for years to become lawyer.
I havebeenwaiting for three hours.
We havebeendrinking tea.
The following signal words are an indication for the present perfect continuous:
all day
I havebeenworkingall day.
since
I havebeenwaitingsince 4 o’clock.
for
I havebeensleepingfor three hours.
how long (in questions) How longhas Boris beenlearning English?
We can also use the present perfect continuous in questions and negations.
She hasbeentalking on the phone. Has she beentalking on the phone?
She hasn'tbeentalking on the phone.
They havebeenswimming in the lake. Have they beenswimming in the lake?
They haven'tbeenswimming in the lake.