Present perfect continuous

Om duidelijk te maken dat iets in het verleden is begonnen en zojuist is afgelopen, gebruik je de present perfect continuous (voltooid tegenwoordige tijd met de -ing vorm).
De present perfect continuous bestaat uit:
have/has + been + werkwoord in -ing vorm.

Voorbeelden

• John has been studying for years to become lawyer.
• I have been waiting for three hours.
• We have been drinking tea.

De volgende signaalwoorden kunnen er op wijzen dat de present perfect continuous gebruikt moet worden:

• all day: I have been working all day.
• since: I have been waiting since 4 o clock.
• for: I have been sleeping for three hours.
• how long (in vragen): How long has Boris been learning English?

Ook in vraagzinnen en ontkennende zinnen kan de present perfect continuous gebruikt worden.

• She has been talking on the phone.
  Has she been talking on the phone?
  She hasn't been talking on the phone.
  
  
• They have been swimming in the lake.
  Have they been swimming in the lake?
  They haven't been swimming in the lake.