How to say the time in English

Summary

In this engaging lesson, Rebecca from Engvid teaches viewers how to tell time in English. She explains the basics of reading a clock, distinguishing between the hour and minute hands, and expressing complete hours, five-minute intervals, and exact minutes. The lesson also covers common phrases like 'quarter past,' 'half past,' and 'quarter to,' as well as short expressions such as 'ten to ten.' Rebecca clarifies the use of AM and PM, providing practical examples for morning and afternoon times. The video concludes with a review of different ways to say various times, helping learners confidently understand and express time in everyday English.

Takeaways

• 😀 The basic parts of a clock are the hour hand (shorter) and minute hand (longer).
• 😀 To express the time, simply say the hour followed by 'o'clock' for a full hour (e.g., 2 o'clock).
• 😀 For times that are not on the hour, express the minutes by rounding to the nearest five-minute interval (e.g., 2:05, 2:10, 2:15).
• 😀 'Quarter past' is used for 15 minutes after the hour (e.g., 2:15 = Quarter past two).
• 😀 'Half past' is used for 30 minutes after the hour (e.g., 2:30 = Half past two).
• 😀 'Quarter to' is used for 15 minutes before the next hour (e.g., 2:45 = Quarter to three).
• 😀 To express time after the 6th hour on the clock, use 'to' (e.g., 2:50 = Ten to three).
• 😀 'AM' refers to time from midnight to noon (12:00 AM - 11:59 AM), and 'PM' refers to time from noon to midnight (12:00 PM - 11:59 PM).
• 😀 Time expressions can include both exact minutes (e.g., 6:50 = Six fifty) or approximations like 'Ten to seven'.
• 😀 Understanding both the 'easy way' and alternative ways of telling time will improve your fluency (e.g., '2:30' vs. 'Half past two').
• 😀 The video encourages studying time expressions further and practicing with quizzes to improve comprehension and speaking skills.

Q & A

What is the difference between the hour hand and the minute hand on a clock?

The hour hand is shorter and shows the hour, while the minute hand is longer and shows the minutes.

How do we express the time when it is exactly on the hour?

We simply state the hour followed by 'o'clock', for example, '2 o'clock', '3 o'clock', etc.

What does 'quarter past two' mean?

'Quarter past two' means 2:15, or a quarter of an hour after 2 o'clock.

How do you express 'half past two' in terms of time?

'Half past two' refers to 2:30, meaning half of the hour between 2 o'clock and 3 o'clock.

What does 'quarter to three' refer to?

'Quarter to three' refers to 2:45, or 15 minutes before 3 o'clock.

How can '2:45' be expressed differently?

'2:45' can be said as 'quarter to three' or '15 minutes to three'.

What is the significance of 'AM' and 'PM' in telling time?

'AM' refers to the time from midnight to noon, and 'PM' refers to the time from noon to just before midnight.

What does '10 to 10' mean in terms of time?

'10 to 10' means 9:50, or 10 minutes before 10 o'clock.

What is the proper way to say '6:50' in everyday language?

You can say '6:50' as 'six fifty' or 'ten to seven'.

How do you say '5:30' in an alternative way?

'5:30' can be said as 'half past five'.