Learn how to tell the time in English with this helpful, easy to follow video:

In this video, we’re going to learn how to tell the time in English.

Here are some things you use to tell time…

•  a clock
•  an alarm clock
•  a watch

Here are some questions:

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

On the clock, the little hand tells the hour. The big hand tells the minute.

When the little hand is on a number and the big hand is on twelve, we use o’clock. It’s 3 o’clock.

When the big hand is on three, it is a quarter past. It’s a quarter past seven.

When the big hand is on six, it is half past. It’s half past nine.

When the big hand is on nine, it is a quarter to. It’s a quarter to two.

When the little hand is between 12 and 6, we use past. When it is between 6 and 12, we use to.

For example, it’s five past ten. Or, it’s ten oh five.

It’s half past eleven. It’s eleven thirty.

It’s ten to eight. It’s seven fifty.

Here’s a picture to review… Now, you try.

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

Let’s check the answers…

• It’s a quarter to one. It’s twelve forty five.
• It’s twenty past four. It’s four twenty.
• It’s five to six. It’s five fifty five.
• It’s half past ten. It’s ten thirty.

When it’s 12 o’clock, you can either say “It’s midnight” or “It’s noon.”

12 AM is midnight, and 12 PM is noon.

Here are some other useful phrases for telling time:

• in the morning
• in the afternoon
• in the evening
• at night

For example, if it’s 9:15 AM, you can say… It’s a quarter past nine in the morning.

If it’s 1:30 PM, you can say… It’s half past one in the afternoon.

If it’s 5:50 PM, you can say… It’s ten to six in the evening.

If it’s 10:00 PM, you can say… It’s ten o’clock at night.

Now you are ready to tell the time in English!