Ask and answer questions about time in English.
Asking the time:
Telling the time:
AM / PM:
| English | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| O'clock | It's five o'clock. | |
| Half past | It's half past seven. | |
| Quarter to | It's quarter to nine. | |
| Quarter past | It's quarter past two. | |
| Noon | We meet at noon. | |
| Midnight | The party ends at midnight. |
| Word | Phonetic | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| O'clock | əˈklɒk | Short for 'of the clock'; stress on second syllable |
| Quarter | ˈkwɔːtər | The "qu" is "kw"; the "t" in the middle is often a soft "d" sound |
| Past | pɑːst | British: long "a"; American: short "a" (past) |
Past vs To: For minutes 1–30, use past (ten past three = 3:10). For minutes 31–59, use to the next hour (ten to four = 3:50).
Create a free Fluentis account to practise Telling the Time with interactive exercises, quizzes and an AI conversation tutor.
Start free