Expression of Time

EXPRESSING TIME

A.    Illustration

Kent          : Hello, who’s this?

Ben            : Hi, Kent. It’s me Ben. What time is it there?

Kent          : It’s 3 a.m, here. Where are you?

Ben            : I’m in Japan and it’s 10 o’clock in the morning here.

Kent          : Why are you calling?

Ben            : oh, I just want to know the time in our city now. See you Kent.

Kent          : Whaaattt?

There are two common ways of telling the time;

1.     Formal but easier way

Say the hours first and then the minutes.

Ø Example: 7:45 - seven forty-five

For minutes 01 through 09, you can pronounce the '0' as oh.

Ø Example: 11:06 - eleven (oh) six

2.     More popular way

Say the minutes first and then the hours. Use past and the preceding hour for minutes 01 through 30. Use to and the forthcoming hour for minutes 31 through 59.

Ø  Example: 7.15 - fifteen minutes past seven

Ø  Example: 7.45 - fifteen minutes to eight

Another possibility of saying '15 minutes past' is: a quarter past

Another possibility of saying '15 minutes to' is: a quarter to

Another possibility of saying '30 minutes past' is: half past

Ø  Example: 5:30 - half past five

Watch

Note,

To make sure (where is necessary) whether you mean a time before 12 o'clock noon or after, you can use in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening, at night. Use in the morning before 12 o'clock noon, after 12 o'clock noon use in the afternoon. When to change from afternoon to evening, from evening to night and from night to morning depends on your sense of time.

Ø  Example: 3:15 - a quarter past three in the morning OR a quarter past three at night

More formal expressions to indicate whether a time is before noon or after are a.m. (also: am - ante meridiem, before noon) and p.m. (also: pm - post meridiem, after noon). Use these expressions only with the formal way of telling the time.

Ø  Example: 3:15 - three fifteen a.m.

It is not usual to use a.m. and p.m. with past/to.

Ø  Example: 3:15 - fifteen minutes past three OR a quarter past three

American English

Beside past Americans often use after.

Ø  Example: 06:10 - ten past/after six

But: in time expressions with half past it is not usual to replace past by after.

Beside to Americans often use before, of or till.

Ø  Example: 05:50 - ten to/before/of/till six

Asking for the Time

The common question forms we use to ask for the time right now are:

Ø  What time is it?

Ø  What is the time?

A more polite way to ask for the time, especially from a stranger is:

Ø  Could you tell me the time please?

The common question forms we use to ask at what time a specific event will happen are:

What time...?                         When...?

Ø  What time does the flight to New York leave?

Ø  When does the bus arrive from London?

Ø  When does the concert begin?

B.     EXERCISE

1.      How do you say the time bellow?

a.       07:05

b.      12:45

c.       09:30

d.      01:15

e.       11:40

f.       05:13

g.      06:50

h.      03:38

i.        02:47

j.        04:19

2.      Tell about your activities by using the time expression!

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