Telling the Time in English

Summary

This video script teaches how to tell time in English, focusing on various ways to express time. It covers both exact times (e.g., 'It's two o'clock') and more nuanced expressions like 'five past,' 'quarter past,' 'half past,' and 'to the next hour.' Through repetition and different time intervals, learners will understand how to communicate time in both formal and conversational English, making it ideal for beginners. The script uses a simple question-and-answer format to reinforce the key phrases, helping viewers gain confidence in discussing time.

Takeaways

• 😀 Telling time in English can be done using various expressions, such as 'o'clock,' 'past,' and 'to.'
• 😀 The time can be expressed in increments of 5 minutes, like 'five past,' 'ten past,' and 'quarter past.'
• 😀 When the time is exactly half, you can use 'half past' or the specific numerical value (e.g., 'two thirty').
• 😀 The terms 'quarter to' and 'quarter past' refer to 15 minutes before and after the hour, respectively.
• 😀 To tell time before the hour, we use the phrase 'to,' as in 'twenty to three' or 'five to three.'
• 😀 The time is generally expressed in full hours, such as 'two o'clock,' and in parts of the hour, like 'five past two.'
• 😀 The phrases 'five past' and 'five to' can be used for expressing the time 5 minutes after or before the hour.
• 😀 Time expressions also include 'ten past,' 'twenty past,' and 'twenty-five past' to indicate various minute markers.
• 😀 The use of 'to' helps express time in the latter part of the hour, such as 'twenty to three' or 'quarter to three.'
• 😀 Repetition of these time expressions helps reinforce how we can tell the time in a variety of ways, both formally and informally.

Q & A

What does 'It's two o'clock' mean?

'It's two o'clock' means the time is exactly 2:00, or two hours past midnight or noon, depending on the context.

How is 'five past two' expressed in time?

'Five past two' means the time is 2:05, five minutes after 2:00.

What is the meaning of 'quarter past two'?

'Quarter past two' means the time is 2:15, which is one-quarter of an hour past 2:00.

What does 'half past two' mean?

'Half past two' means the time is 2:30, or 30 minutes after 2:00.

How would you say 2:45 in English?

2:45 is 'quarter to three,' meaning it's 15 minutes before 3:00.

What is meant by 'twenty to three'?

'Twenty to three' means the time is 2:40, or 20 minutes before 3:00.

How do you express 'ten to three'?

'Ten to three' means the time is 2:50, or 10 minutes before 3:00.

What is the difference between 'twenty past two' and 'twenty-five past two'?

'Twenty past two' means 2:20, while 'twenty-five past two' means 2:25. The difference is that the second time is 5 minutes later.

What does 'It's five to three' indicate?

'It's five to three' means the time is 2:55, or 5 minutes before 3:00.

How is 'three o'clock' different from 'quarter past three'?

'Three o'clock' means exactly 3:00, while 'quarter past three' means 3:15, which is 15 minutes after 3:00.