Learn English Through Song

25 Or 6 To 4 by Chicago
1 The Words-Added Syste O! Telling " As#ing Tie
"25 0r 6 to four" is a time expression that means 25 or 26 minutes before four o'clock.
2 English has many ways to ask the time and basically three systems to tell it.

!he "ords#$dded %ystem &the most used' uses small words as 'of'( 'to'( 'after'(
'past'( etc. )e.g. ten past four( fi*e till eight( half past fi*e+ ,n this show( we will only
study this system.

2 !he - .umber # /ne#"ord %ystem &the easiest' uses mostly two numbers as
'-026'( '055' or - )'6002' is 'six#oh#two'+. !he word is 'o'clock'.

- !he 1undred %ystem &'2ilitary'( 23 1our'' uses numbers and words as
'hundred'( '4ero' and 'hours.5 )'0200' is said 'oh two hundred' ,t5s 2 am6'700'( 6 pm( is
said 'eighteen hundred'.'
- "aiting for the break of day %earching for something to say "break of day" # dawn(
daybreak
&!o a stranger' "Excuse me sir( what time do you ha*e8" &,t's more polite to use more
words.' ",t's ten after ele*en." 9se $:!E; or <$%!.
3 :lashing lights against the sky =i*ing up , close my eyes. "close my eyes" ""hat time
is it8" &the most common way to ask' ",t's four to twel*e." &%aying "minutes is ok( but
unnecessary.' 9se !/( !,>> or /:.
5 %itting cross#legged on the floor 25 or 6 to 3 "cross#legged" ""hat's the time8" &the
shortest way to ask' ",t's a ?uarter past twel*e." &a "?uarter of an hour is fifteen minutes'
9se @9$;!E; <$%! or /:
6 %taring slightly into space =etting up to splash my face "splash my face" ""hat time
ha*e you got8" ",t's eight minutes to one o'clock." &!his is the long answer( but it is *ery
clear. Aommonly used is ",t's."' 9se ,!'%.
B "anting Cust to stay awake "ondering how much , can take "/h( how much can ,
take8"
"Aould you tell me the time8" &9sing the word "Aould" makes this yes#no ?uestion more
polite.' "Des( it's twenty#four of two."
7 %hould , try to do some more8 25 or 6 to 3 "do some more" ""hat time is it8" &"is it"
sounds like Ei44itE' ",t's three o'clock." &!he word "o'clock" is used when the hour has
arri*ed.' 9se /'A>/AF. G#
0 :eeling like , ought to sleep %pinning room is sinking deep "ought to" H should ""hat
time do you ha*e8" ",t's almost a ?uarter to four." &9sing the words "about" or "almost" is
common in an answer.' 9se $>2/%!.
%earching for something to say "aiting for the break of day ",'m really sleepyI" ""hat
time is it8" ",t's fi*e to six." &,f it was six#thirty( you could say ",t's half past six."' 9se
1$>: <$%!.
2 25 or 6 to 3( 25 or 6 to 3 JJJJJ
1$ %erbal E&ercise What tie is it'
9se "after" KKK 2 9se "to" KK - 9se "half past" KK 3 KK 5 "almost" 6 KK B "?uarter to"
7 "o'clock
E(E)C*SE
:ill in the correct word&s' from the list below0
break of day close my eyes ,'m really sleepyI cross#legged
splash my face do some more ought to 1ow much can , take8
$t fi*e to six( =us said( "KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK"
2 %ophia knows she KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK go to sleep.
- ;ita thought( ", ha*e to KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK to keep awake."
3 <aula worked hard( but she has to KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK.
5 1erb is sitting KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK on the bedroom floor.
6 %ue is lying down and waiting for the KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK.
B ,'ll KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK Cust for a few minutes.
7 Lean wonders( "KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK"
Teacher+ran#,rogras-
.../learn-to-s0ea#-english-esl/co