PRACTICAL GUIDE TO ENGLISH USAGE

I CAN TELL THE TIME

o’clock
12
five to 11 1 five past

ten to 10 2 ten past

(a) quarter to 9 3 (a) quarter past

twenty to 8 4 twenty past

twenty-five to 7 5 twenty-five past

6
half past

USEFUL LANGUAGE
o’clock used to mean an exact hour
minute usually not used when the number of minutes is five, ten, fifteen, twenty, or twenty-five
half половина
midday 12 o’clock in the middle of the day; the period around this time
midnight 12 o’clock at night
noon 12 o’clock in the middle of the day
a.m. 00.00  12.00
p.m. 12.00  24.00
in the morning утра
in the afternoon дня
in the evening вечера
at night ночи
summer time (BrE) the period between March and October during which in some countries the clocks are put forward one
hour
daylight saving time (NAmE) the period between March and October during which in some countries the clocks are put forward one
hour
nearly почти
just after

What time is it?

What is (≈What’s) the time?
Have you got the time (on you)?

5.00 It is (≈It’s) five (o’clock)

5.03 It is (≈It’s) three minutes past five
5.10 It is (≈It’s) ten (minutes) past five
5.15 It is (≈It’s) (a) quarter past five
5.30 It is (≈It’s) half past five (a.m./p.m.)
5.40 It is (≈It’s) twenty (minutes) to six
5.45 It is (≈It’s) (a) quarter to six
5.55 It is (≈It’s) five (minutes) to six
5.57 It is (≈It’s) three minutes to six

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What time do you make it?
7.00 it is a quarter to twelve
5.40 it is ten past four
3.50 it is half past seven
12.15 it is ten to one
2.30 it is five o’clock
4.13 it is five past one
8.55 it is twelve minutes past ten
1.20 it is five to three
10.49 it is a quarter past eight
6.45 it is twenty to seven
11.10 it is twenty past three
0.00 it is noon

Same or different? Write S for same or D for different.

8.45 p.m. 8.45 in the evening __

3.00 p.m. nearly 3.00 __
12.00 at night midnight __
4.00 a.m. 4.00 in the afternoon __
6.32 nearly 6.30 __
11.45 p.m. 11.45 at night __
8.43 nearly (a) quarter to nine __
2.17 (a) quarter past two __
12.03 p.m. just after midday __
3.00 a.m. three o’clock __
Write down the correct time in digital.
Example: The clock says 9 o’clock, but the correct time is ...

2
3
Each of the clocks is 20 minutes FAST. Draw the correct times on each of the clocks.

Example: This clock says … . It’s 20 minutes fast. The correct time is …

THIS THAT

Each of the clocks is 10 minutes SLOW. Draw the correct times on each of the clocks.

Example: This clock says … . It’s 10 minutes slow. The correct time is …

THIS THAT