Telling Time
Learn how to tell time in various ways and the prepositions used with time phrases.
Answer the following grammar questions.
Telling Time
Point 1: You can use o'clock to tell the time at the top of the hour, but in conversation, it is often dropped.
- It is six o'clock. → It is six.
- It is eight o'clock. → It is eight.
- It is twelve o'clock. → It is twelve.
- It is two o'clock. → It is two.
Point 2: Twelve o'clock has two special names: noon (daytime) and midnight (nighttime).
- The meeting is at noon.
- Great! See you at twelve.
- I was asleep at midnight.
- I was still awake at twelve.
Point 3: For time 30 minutes past the hour, you can say half past.
- 2:30 → half past two
- 6:30 → half past six
- 9:30 → half past nine
- 11:30 → half past eleven
Point 4: For time 15 minutes past the hour, you can say a quarter past.
- 2:15 → a quarter past two
- 4:15 → a quarter past four
- 7:15 → a quarter past seven
- 12:15 → a quarter past twelve or a quarter past noon
Point 5: For time 45 minutes past the hour, you can say a quarter to or a quarter till.
- 1:45 → a quarter to two
- 4:45 → a quarter to five
- 9:45 → a quarter till ten
- 12:45 → a quarter to one
About the Teacher
My name is Todd Beuckens and I am an ESL teacher in Japan.
I created this site to provide teachers and students free audio lessons and learning materials not usually found in commercial textbooks.