Hello and welcome to this English vocabulary lesson about Telling Time!
Today, we’re going to learn about clock times and asking for the time. Being able to tell time is very important in our daily lives. It helps us be punctual, schedule activities, and plan our day.
Introduction to Telling Time
Knowing the time helps you catch a bus, attend a meeting, or start your favorite TV show. When you ask, “What time is it?“, you can get the information you need to plan your day.
Listen and repeat to practice your speaking! 
Understanding the Clock
A clock has two main parts:
- Hour Hand (Short Hand): Shows the hour.
- Minute Hand (Long Hand): Shows the minutes.
- Numbers on the Clock: The numbers from 1 to 12 represent the hours.
Asking for the Time
Use these common phrases when you want to know the time:
Listen and repeat to practice your speaking!
- “What time is it?”
- “Do you have the time?”
- “Could you tell me the time, please?”
Example Dialogue:
A: “Excuse me, what time is it?”
B: “It’s three o’clock.” ⏰
Telling the Time on the Hour
Use the phrase “It’s [number] o’clock” for exact hours. Remember, “o’clock” is only for the exact hour.
Listen and repeat to practice your speaking!
- It’s one o’clock. (1:00)
- It’s two o’clock. (2:00)
- It’s three o’clock. (3:00)
- It’s four o’clock. (4:00)
- It’s five o’clock. (5:00)
- It’s six o’clock. (6:00)
- It’s seven o’clock. (7:00)
- It’s eight o’clock. (8:00)
- It’s nine o’clock. (9:00)
- It’s ten o’clock. (10:00)
- It’s eleven o’clock. (11:00)
- It’s twelve o’clock. (12:00)
Telling Time Past the Hour
For times after the hour (from 1 to 30 minutes), use “[minutes] past [hour]”. When it is 30 minutes after, we also say “half past [hour]”.
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Listen and repeat to practice your speaking!
- It’s five past one. (1:05)
- It’s ten past two. (2:10)
- It’s quarter past three. (3:15)
- It’s twenty past four. (4:20)
- It’s twenty-five past five. (5:25)
- It’s half past six. (6:30)
- It’s fifteen past seven. (7:15)
- It’s twenty past eight. (8:20)
- It’s ten past nine. (9:10)
- It’s five past ten. (10:05)
Telling Time to the Hour
For times before the next hour (from 31 to 59 minutes), use “[minutes] to [next hour]”. When it is 15 minutes to the hour, you can say “quarter to [next hour]”.
Listen and repeat to practice your speaking!
- It’s twenty to two. (1:40)
- It’s quarter to four. (3:45)
- It’s ten to five. (4:50)
- It’s five to six. (5:55)
- It’s twenty to seven. (6:40)
- It’s quarter to eight. (7:45)
- It’s ten to nine. (8:50)
- It’s five to ten. (9:55)
- It’s twenty to eleven. (10:40)
- It’s fifteen to twelve. (11:45)
Using AM and PM
“AM” means the time from midnight until noon, and “PM” means the time from noon until midnight. We often use these in digital time formats.
Listen and repeat to practice your speaking!
- 8:00 AM – It is morning. ☀️
- 9:30 AM – A mid-morning time. ⏰
- 11:00 AM – Late morning. ⏰
- 12:00 PM – It is noon. 🍽️
- 1:15 PM – Early afternoon. ⏰
- 3:00 PM – Mid-afternoon. ⏰
- 4:45 PM – Late afternoon. ⏰
- 6:30 PM – Early evening. 🌆
- 8:00 PM – It is night. 🌙
- 10:15 PM – Late at night. 🌌
A Simple Story About Telling Time
Listen and repeat aloud to improve your pronunciation!
Anna wakes up every day and looks at the clock. In the morning, at 7:00 AM, she gets out of bed. She says, “It’s seven o’clock!” as she eats breakfast. ☕🍞
When she leaves for school at 8:00 AM, she asks, “What time is it?” A kind neighbor replies, “It’s eight o’clock.” ⏰
At school, during a break, Anna sees the clock and hears, “It’s ten past nine.” (9:10 AM) 📚
Later, at lunch, she checks her watch. Her friend tells her, “It’s half past twelve.” (12:30 PM) 🍽️
In the afternoon, before finishing classes, another friend says, “It’s quarter to three.” (2:45 PM) and they smile and laugh. 😊
After school, Anna goes home and sees the time is “twenty to five.” (4:40 PM) ⏱️
In the evening, while doing her homework, she reads a digital clock showing “6:30 PM.” She knows it is time for dinner soon. 🍽️
Before bed, Anna looks at her clock again and it says, “It’s ten fifteen PM.” (10:15 PM) 🌌 She says, “Good night!” and goes to sleep. 😴
By knowing how to tell time, Anna manages her day very well. Every time she hears phrases like “o’clock,” “past,” or “to,” she feels more confident about her schedule.
