Asking The Time

Common ways for asking the time:

• What time is it?
• What is the time?
• Do you have the time?
• Do you know what time it is?

More polite ways to ask the time (especially from a stranger)

• Can you tell me what time it is, please?
• Could you tell me the time, please?

The question forms we use to ask at what time an event will happen:

• What time…?
• When..?

Giving the Time

• It’s exactly or about or almost or just gone …
• Sure, it is…
• 4:30
• It is…
• It is seven past ten.
• The time is 9 o’clock.
• Sorry, I am not wearing a watch.

Giving the time at Full Hours: (O’clock /…:00)

We use It is or It’s to respond to the questions that ask for the time right now.

• It is five o’clock. (5:00) or It’s five (less formal)
• It’s ten o’clock (10:00) or I’s ten (less formal)
• It is seven o’clock (07:00) or It’s seven (less formal)
• It’s one o’clock (01:00) or It’s one (less formal)

Giving the time at Half Hours: (…:30)

We use structure “It is half past…” to give the time at half hours.

• It is half past eleven. (11:30) or eleven thirty (less formal)
• It is half past seven. ( 07:30 ) or seven thirty (less formal)
• It is half past one.( 01:30 ) or one thirty (less formal)

Giving the time at Quarter Hours: (…:15 or …:45)

We use two forms of sentence for giving the time at quarter hours:

It is (a) quarter past … (15 minutes after the hour)

It is (a) quarter to … (15 minutes before the hour)

• It is (a) quarter past eight. (8:15) or eight fifteen (less formal)
• It is (a) quarter to three. (02:45) or two forty-three (less formal)
• It is (a) quarter past twelve. (12:15) or twelve thirteen (less formal)

Giving the time at other hours

There are two ways for giving the time at other hours:

Use Past or To (Formal), for example:

• We use PAST for (01 minute to 30 minutes)
• We use TO for (31 to 59 minutes)

           It is(it’s) … minutes past /to …

• It’s five minutes to nine. (08:55)
• It’s three minutes past seven. (07:13)
• It is nine minutes to three. (2:51)
• It’s eight minutes past one. (01:08)

Use the structure: “It’s + hour + minutes”, for example:

• It’s eight fifty-five. (08:55)
• It’s seven thirteen. (07:13)
• It is two fifty-one. (2:51)
• It’s one zero-eight. (01:08)

A.M and P.M

We don’t normally use the 24-hour clock in English.

We use a.m. (am) for the morning and p.m. (pm) for the afternoon and night.

• 3am = Three o’clock in the morning.
• 3pm = Three o’clock in the afternoon.

How to Tell the Time in English – Image