Learn to Tell the Time in English: A Simple Guide for Beginners

Welcome to our easy lesson on telling the time in English! Knowing how to tell time is super useful in everyday life. You’ll need it for school, work, meeting friends, and lots of other things. This lesson is perfect for beginners (A1 level) who are learning English. We’ll make it simple and fun!

Why is Telling Time Important?

Imagine you have a doctor’s appointment at 3 o’clock. Or your friend is meeting you at the park at half past four. If you can’t tell time, it can be tricky to be on time and organized! Learning to tell the time in English helps you:

Make appointments and keep them.
Plan your day and manage your schedule.
Understand timetables for buses, trains, and events.
Communicate effectively with English speakers about daily activities.
Feel more confident in everyday conversations.

So, let’s get started and learn how to tell the time in English!

Basic Time Vocabulary in English

Before we start telling time, let’s learn some important words. These are the building blocks for understanding time in English:

O’clock: Used for whole hours. For example, 1:00 is “one o’clock.”
Half past: 30 minutes past the hour. For example, 1:30 is “half past one.”
Quarter past: 15 minutes past the hour. For example, 1:15 is “quarter past one.”
Quarter to: 15 minutes before the next hour. For example, 1:45 is “quarter to two.”
Past: Used for minutes after the hour (up to 30 minutes). For example, 1:20 is “twenty past one.”
To: Used for minutes before the hour (from 31 to 59 minutes). For example, 1:40 is “twenty to two.”
Minute: A small unit of time. There are 60 minutes in an hour.
Hour: A unit of time. There are 24 hours in a day.
Clock: A device that shows the time.
Watch: A small clock worn on your wrist.
AM (a.m.): From midnight to noon (morning). For example, 9:00 AM is in the morning.
PM (p.m.): From noon to midnight (afternoon and evening). For example, 3:00 PM is in the afternoon, and 9:00 PM is in the evening.

Let’s practice these words as we learn to tell the time!

How to Tell Time: “O’clock”

When the time is exactly on the hour, we use “o’clock.” It’s very simple!

Look at these examples:

1:00 – It’s one o’clock.
2:00 – It’s two o’clock.
3:00 – It’s three o’clock.
4:00 – It’s four o’clock.
5:00 – It’s five o’clock.
6:00 – It’s six o’clock.
7:00 – It’s seven o’clock.
8:00 – It’s eight o’clock.
9:00 – It’s nine o’clock.
10:00 – It’s ten o’clock.
11:00 – It’s eleven o’clock.
12:00 – It’s twelve o’clock. (or noon or midnight depending on context)

Remember to say “o’clock” after the hour when the minute hand is pointing at 12.

How to Tell Time: “Half Past”

“Half past” means 30 minutes after the hour. Imagine a clock face. “Half past” is when the minute hand is pointing at the number 6, exactly halfway around the clock.

Here are some examples of “half past”:

1:30 – It’s half past one.
2:30 – It’s half past two.
3:30 – It’s half past three.
4:30 – It’s half past four.
5:30 – It’s half past five.
6:30 – It’s half past six.
7:30 – It’s half past seven.
8:30 – It’s half past eight.
9:30 – It’s half past nine.
10:30 – It’s half past ten.
11:30 – It’s half past eleven.
12:30 – It’s half past twelve.

When you see the minute hand at 6, think “half past” and then say the hour that just passed.

How to Tell Time: “Quarter Past” and “Quarter To”

“Quarter” means 15 minutes. A clock face can be divided into four quarters.

“Quarter past” is 15 minutes after the hour. The minute hand is pointing at the number 3.

Examples of “quarter past”:

1:15 – It’s quarter past one.
2:15 – It’s quarter past two.
3:15 – It’s quarter past three.
4:15 – It’s quarter past four.

“Quarter to” is 15 minutes before the next hour. The minute hand is pointing at the number 9.

Examples of “quarter to”:

1:45 – It’s quarter to two. (Notice we say “to the next hour”, so “two” not “one”)
2:45 – It’s quarter to three.
3:45 – It’s quarter to four.
4:45 – It’s quarter to five.

Remember: “quarter past” is 15 minutes after, and “quarter to” is 15 minutes before the next hour.

How to Tell Time: Minutes “Past” and “To”

For times that are not “o’clock,” “half past,” “quarter past,” or “quarter to,” we use “minutes past” and “minutes to.”

“Minutes past” is used for minutes 1 through 30 after the hour.

The formula is: “It’s [minutes] past [hour].”

Examples:

1:05 – It’s five past one.
1:10 – It’s ten past one.
1:20 – It’s twenty past one.
1:25 – It’s twenty-five past one.

“Minutes to” is used for minutes 31 through 59 after the hour (or minutes before the next hour). We count how many minutes are left until the next hour.

The formula is: “It’s [minutes] to [next hour].”

Examples:

1:35 – It’s twenty-five to two. (60 – 35 = 25 minutes left until 2 o’clock)
1:40 – It’s twenty to two. (60 – 40 = 20 minutes left until 2 o’clock)
1:50 – It’s ten to two. (60 – 50 = 10 minutes left until 2 o’clock)
1:55 – It’s five to two. (60 – 55 = 5 minutes left until 2 o’clock)

For minutes between 30 and 35, you can say either “thirty-five past one” or “twenty-five to two.” Both are correct, but “to” is more common after half past.

Asking About Time in English

To ask someone for the time, you can use these phrases:

“What time is it?” (This is the most common and direct way.)
“What’s the time, please?” (Polite and common.)
“Do you have the time?” (A polite and indirect way.)
“Could you tell me the time, please?” (Very polite.)

When someone asks you for the time, you can answer with “It’s…” followed by the time, as we learned above.

For example:

Person A: “Excuse me, what time is it?”

Person B: “It’s quarter past three.”

Let’s Practice Telling the Time!

Now it’s your turn to practice! Look at the clocks below and write the time in English words. You can write your answers on a piece of paper or type them out.

Clock 1: 3:00 What time is it? _______
Clock 2: 6:30 What time is it? _______
Clock 3: 9:15 What time is it? _______
Clock 4: 12:45 What time is it? _______
Clock 5: 2:05 What time is it? _______
Clock 6: 7:55 What time is it? _______
Clock 7: 10:20 What time is it? _______
Clock 8: 4:40 What time is it? _______

Want more practice and to improve your spoken English? Try Lingofrnd.com! Lingofrnd is an AI spoken English teacher. You can practice telling the time and many other topics, and get instant feedback on your pronunciation and grammar. It’s a fun and effective way to improve your English speaking skills. Download App and start practicing today!

Answers to Practice Questions

Clock 1: 3:00 What time is it? Three o’clock
Clock 2: 6:30 What time is it? Half past six
Clock 3: 9:15 What time is it? Quarter past nine
Clock 4: 12:45 What time is it? Quarter to one (or Twelve forty-five)
Clock 5: 2:05 What time is it? Five past two
Clock 6: 7:55 What time is it? Five to eight
Clock 7: 10:20 What time is it? Twenty past ten
Clock 8: 4:40 What time is it? Twenty to five

Congratulations! You’ve completed this lesson on telling the time in English. Keep practicing, and soon you’ll be a time-telling expert! For more English lessons and to practice your speaking, visit Lingofrnd.com. Don’t forget to Download App to practice speaking with our AI English teacher!