Telling the TimeA0–A1
How to ask the time and say it in numbers, and with past and to. Say the hour first, then the minutes: 7:05 is seven oh five, and o'clock follows only a full hour: seven o'clock.
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CheatsheetA0–A1
| Point | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Asking | answer with It's + the time | What time is it? — It's seven thirty. |
| Numbers | say the hour, then the minutes; 1–9 minutes take oh | 7:05 → seven oh five |
| o'clock | a full hour takes o'clock | seven o'clock |
| A1past | minutes 1–30: past the hour | five past three / (a) quarter past three / half past three |
| A1to | minutes 31–59: to the next hour; say the minutes first | twenty to four / (a) quarter to four |
| A1minutes | minutes that are not 5, 10, 15… add minutes | three minutes past six |
| A1a.m. / p.m. | a.m. is midnight to midday; p.m. is midday to midnight | seven a.m. / three p.m. |
| A1Parts of the day | add the part of the day after the time | seven in the morning / three in the afternoon / eight in the evening / eleven at night |
| A124 hours | speech uses 12 hours; timetables use the 24-hour clock | 19:30 → nineteen thirty |
| A1US | use after for past and of for to | a quarter after three / ten of four |
| Trap | minutes replace o'clock | seven fifteen |
The time in numbersA0
Ask What time is it? or What's the time? Answer with It's + the time. It's seven thirty.
| Time | Said |
|---|---|
| 7:00 | seven o'clock |
| 7:05 | seven oh five |
| 7:15 | seven fifteen |
| 7:30 | seven thirty |
| 7:45 | seven forty-five |
| 7:50 | seven fifty |
- Say the hour, then the minutes. 1–9 minutes take oh: 7:05 → seven oh five.
- o'clock /əˈklɒk/ goes only with full hours: seven o'clock.
Past and toA1
| Time | Said |
|---|---|
| 3:05 | five past three |
| 3:15 | (a) quarter past three |
| 3:20 | twenty past three |
| 3:30 | half past three |
| 3:40 | twenty to four |
| 3:45 | (a) quarter to four |
| 3:55 | five to four |
- Minutes 1–30: past the hour. Minutes 31–59: to the next hour.
- Say the minutes first, then the hour: twenty to four.
- Minutes that are not 5, 10, 15… add minutes: three minutes past six.
- US: after for past, of for to: a quarter after three, ten of four.
Parts of the dayA1
| Time | Said |
|---|---|
| 07:00 | seven a.m. / seven in the morning |
| 12:00 | midday / twelve noon |
| 15:00 | three p.m. / three in the afternoon |
| 20:00 | eight p.m. / eight in the evening |
| 23:00 | eleven p.m. / eleven at night |
| 00:00 | midnight |
- a.m. = from midnight to midday; p.m. = from midday to midnight.
- In speech, the 12-hour clock is usual. Timetables use 24 hours: 19:30 = nineteen thirty.
Typical errorsA0
| ✗ | ✓ | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| seven o'clock fifteen | seven fifteen | o'clock only with full hours |