English: Telling the Time

Level: A1. Telling the time in English uses just a few building blocks: the hour, the words past and to, and quarter and half. Once you know which half of the hour you are in, the rest follows a clear pattern.

By the end of this page you can…

…read a clock in English, say any time in two ways, use am and pm, and ask someone what time it is.

The hour: o’clock

For a whole hour with nothing after it, say the number plus o’clock:

• 7:00 → seven o’clock
• 1:00 → one o’clock

Only use o’clock for exact hours. You would never say half past seven o’clock.

Past and to

Split the hour in two. For the first half (1 to 30 minutes) you count up from the hour with past. For the second half (31 to 59 minutes) you count down to the next hour with to.

Quarter is 15 minutes and half is 30 minutes. Notice that after the half hour the number of the next hour is used: 7:45 is quarter to eight, not quarter to seven.

The digital way

There is a second, simpler style that just reads the numbers, like a digital clock:

• 7:15 → seven fifteen
• 7:30 → seven thirty
• 7:45 → seven forty-five

Both styles are correct and common. For minutes under ten, add oh: 6:05 → six oh five.

am, pm, noon and midnight

The ordinary clock runs 1–12 twice a day, so English marks which half of the day you mean:

• am = before noon (from midnight to 11:59 in the morning).
• pm = after noon (from midday to 11:59 at night).
• 12:00 (midday) = noon; 00:00 / 24:00 = midnight.

Timetables often use the 24-hour clock: 14:00 is written and read as fourteen hundred or simply said as two o’clock / 2 pm.

Asking and answering

To ask the time, any of these work, from direct to polite:

• What time is it?
• What’s the time?
• Have you got the time? / Do you have the time?
• Do you know what time it is?

To say when something happens, use at: The film starts at eight. I get up at half past six.

Example sentences

Press play and copy the rhythm of each line.

1. It's seven o'clock.
   A whole hour with 'o'clock'.
2. It's five past nine.
   Five minutes after the hour.
3. It's quarter past ten.
   Quarter past means 15 minutes after.
4. It's half past six.
   Half past six is 6:30.
5. It's twenty-five past two.
   Minutes before the half hour use 'past'.
6. It's quarter to eight.
   Quarter to eight is 7:45.
7. It's ten to five.
   Ten minutes before five is 4:50.
8. It's five to twelve.
   Almost twelve: 11:55.
9. It's nine fifteen.
   The digital style for 9:15.
10. It's six oh five.
    Add 'oh' for minutes under ten: 6:05.
11. What time is it?
    The direct way to ask.
12. Have you got the time, please?
    A polite way to ask a stranger.
13. The shop opens at nine.
    Use 'at' before a time.
14. The train leaves at half past four.
    A departure time with 'at'.
15. I get up at six o'clock.
    A daily routine time.
16. Lunch is at twelve, at noon.
    Noon is 12:00 midday.
17. The meeting is at two pm.
    Pm marks the afternoon.
18. We landed at midnight.
    Midnight is 00:00.
19. The bus comes at fourteen hundred.
    24-hour style on a timetable: 14:00.
20. See you at quarter past seven!
    A plan with a quarter-past time.

Quick recap before you practise.

Practice

Practice

Telling the time practice

Try each one, then press Check. No sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.

1 Match each clock time to the way you say it.

• 7:00 Match for 7:00 — choose — half past sevenquarter past sevenquarter to eightseven o'clock
• 7:15 Match for 7:15 — choose — half past sevenquarter past sevenquarter to eightseven o'clock
• 7:30 Match for 7:30 — choose — half past sevenquarter past sevenquarter to eightseven o'clock
• 7:45 Match for 7:45 — choose — half past sevenquarter past sevenquarter to eightseven o'clock

Check

Show answer

• 7:00 → seven o'clock
• 7:15 → quarter past seven
• 7:30 → half past seven
• 7:45 → quarter to eight

Use 'o'clock' for the hour, 'past' up to the half hour and 'to' after it.

2 Fill the gap: 7:30 is half ____ seven.

Check

Hint: 30 minutes after the hour

Show answer

past — Half past seven means 30 minutes after seven, so the word is 'past'.

3 Fill the gap: 7:45 is quarter ____ eight.

Check

Hint: counting down to the next hour

Show answer

to — After the half hour you count down with 'to': quarter to eight.

4 What time is 'quarter to nine'?

9:15 8:45 9:45 8:15

Check

Show answer

8:45 — Quarter to nine is 15 minutes before nine, so 8:45.

5 Which sentence is correct?

The film starts in eight. The film starts on eight. The film starts at eight. The film starts to eight.

Check

Show answer

The film starts at eight. — Use 'at' before a clock time: at eight.

6 Put the words in order to say 10:30.

tenpasthalf

CheckReset

Show answer

half past ten — 10:30 is half past ten.

How to say it

These time words link and soften in natural speech.

• o’clock sounds like “uh-KLOK” — the first part is a tiny uh, the stress on klok.
• quarter is “KWOR-ter”; in American speech the middle t softens to a d-like sound.
• past has a short, flat a in American English and a long “pahst” in standard British English.
• In fast speech half past seven runs together as “half-past-seven”, almost one word.

Quiz

Check yourself

Telling the time quiz

8 questions · pick an answer and you'll see straight away if it's right.

0/8 0 answered

1. 1How do you say 3:00?

   A three past B three o'clock C three to D o'clock three
   Show answer

   three o'clock — A whole hour takes 'o'clock': three o'clock.

2. 2What is 'half past six'?

   A 5:30 B 6:30 C 6:15 D 7:30
   Show answer

   6:30 — Half past six is 30 minutes after six, so 6:30.

3. 3How do you say 8:45 the 'quarter' way?

   A quarter past eight B quarter to eight C quarter past nine D quarter to nine
   Show answer

   quarter to nine — 8:45 is 15 minutes before nine: quarter to nine.

4. 4Choose the correct word: It's ten ___ five (4:50).

   A past B to C on D at
   Show answer

   to — 4:50 is counting down to five, so 'ten to five'.

5. 5Which means 'before noon'?

   A pm B am C midnight D half past
   Show answer

   am — am covers the time from midnight to just before midday.

6. 612:00 in the middle of the day is…

   A midnight B noon C am D quarter past
   Show answer

   noon — Midday, 12:00, is called noon; 00:00 is midnight.

7. 7The digital way to say 9:05 is…

   A nine five B nine oh five C five past nine o'clock D oh five nine
   Show answer

   nine oh five — For minutes under ten, add 'oh': nine oh five.

8. 8Which is the most polite way to ask?

   A Time? B What time! C Have you got the time, please? D Give me the time.
   Show answer

   Have you got the time, please? — 'Have you got the time, please?' is a polite way to ask a stranger.

Next

• Previous lesson: English: Days, Months & Dates
• Next lesson: English: Giving Personal Information
• New here? Start with Start Learning English Here