Practice
Telling the time in English: hours, minutes, and everyday phrases
A bus sign may say 7:45, while a friend says, ‘It’s quarter to eight.’ Both point to the same time. Learning the common patterns helps you understand each form quickly.
Say and understand common clock times in English, then choose a clear phrase for a timetable, appointment, or casual conversation.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
quarter to eight /ˈkwɔː.tə tə eɪt/
The short answer
Say o'clock for an exact hour. Use past for minutes after the hour and to for minutes before the next hour. You can also read a digital time directly, especially for schedules: ‘The train leaves at seven forty-five.’
The class starts at nine o'clock.
Why it works: Nine o'clock names an exact hour, so no minutes are needed.
5 more examples
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It is five o'clock now.
Use o'clock because the minute hand is at twelve.
Not this:It is
five fifteennow. What changes: Do not add o'clock when the time includes minutes. -
The film begins at ten past seven.
Ten past seven means 7:10, ten minutes after seven.
Not this:The film begins at
ten to seven. What changes: Ten to seven means 6:50, so the next hour changes the time. -
Let us meet at quarter past two.
Quarter past means fifteen minutes after the named hour.
Not this:Let us meet at
quarter to two. What changes: Quarter to two means 1:45, fifteen minutes before two. -
The café opens at half past eight.
Half past eight means 8:30, thirty minutes after eight.
Not this:The café opens at
eight thirty. What changes: The digital form has the same meaning and is common on timetables. -
My appointment is at six forty in the evening.
The digital form gives the hour and minutes directly, while the time of day removes doubt.
Not this:My appointment is at
twenty to seven. What changes: This clock-based form also means 6:40, but it does not say whether the time is morning or evening.
Read the full guide
Start by finding the hour. At 3:10, the hour is three, so you can say ‘ten past three’. At 3:50, the next hour is four, so you can say ‘ten to four’. In everyday speech, people often use the digital form too: ‘three ten’ or ‘three fifty’. Give a.m. or p.m. when the day could be unclear.
Find the hour first
When you see a time, identify the hour before you choose a phrase. At 11:05, the hour is eleven. At 11:55, the next hour is twelve. This small check helps you use past and to correctly.
11:05 is five past eleven.
11:55 is five to twelve because only five minutes remain before twelve o'clock.
Which hour comes after 9:50?
The next hour is ten, so 9:50 is ten to ten.
Say exact hours and digital times
Use o'clock only when the minutes are zero. For a digital clock, say the hour and then the minutes. A timetable, phone screen, or booking email often uses this direct form because it is quick to read.
The library closes at six o'clock.
The library closes at six twenty means 6:20. Do not say six twenty o'clock.
How can you say 7:08 in a timetable announcement?
You can say seven oh eight, or seven zero eight. In ordinary conversation, seven oh eight is common.
Use past for minutes after an hour
Use past when the minutes come after the hour. The pattern is minutes plus past plus hour. It works well for 5, 10, 20, and 25 minutes after an hour. For 15 and 30, quarter past and half past are especially common.
The doctor will see you at twenty past four.
Twenty past four is 4:20. The phrase names the hour that has already started.
What time is quarter past nine?
Quarter past nine is 9:15. A quarter of an hour has passed since nine.
Use to for minutes before the next hour
Use to when you count forward to the next hour. The pattern is minutes plus to plus the next hour. This is useful from about :35 to :55. Check the next hour carefully before you speak.
The shop closes at twenty-five to six.
Twenty-five to six is 5:35. The word six names the hour that is coming, not the current hour.
What time is ten to one?
Ten to one is 12:50. There are ten minutes before one o'clock.
Make an appointment time clear
A time can be clear on one day and confusing on another. When a plan matters, add the day and whether it is a.m. or p.m., or use morning, afternoon, or evening. Ask a short confirmation question if you are unsure.
Is the interview at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday?
Is the interview at half past eight? may be enough in a spoken conversation, but it does not identify the day or morning.
What extra detail should you add if a call is at 7:00 and the listener may think of the evening?
Say seven a.m., seven in the morning, or seven p.m., depending on the planned time.
Before you go
Remember this
For an exact hour, use o'clock. For :15, :30, and :45, use quarter past, half past, and quarter to. For other times, a digital expression is usually clear. Add a.m., p.m., or a time-of-day phrase when the listener needs it.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Telling the time in English: hours, minutes, and everyday phrases"
When do I use o'clock in English?
Use o'clock only when the minutes are zero. Say ‘five o'clock’ for 5:00. When the time includes minutes, use a digital expression such as ‘five fifteen’ or a clock phrase such as ‘quarter past five’.
It is five o'clock now.
What is the difference between past and to when telling the time?
Past counts minutes after the hour, so ‘ten past seven’ is 7:10. To counts minutes before the next hour, so ‘ten to seven’ is 6:50. Check whether you are naming the current hour or the hour that comes next.
It is five fifteen now.
What do quarter past and quarter to mean?
A quarter of an hour is fifteen minutes. Quarter past two means 2:15, and quarter to two means 1:45. The word past looks back from an hour, while to looks forward to the next hour.
The film begins at ten past seven.
Can I say the time as numbers in English?
Yes. Digital expressions such as ‘eight thirty’ and ‘six forty’ are common, especially for timetables and appointments. Add a.m., p.m., morning, afternoon, or evening when a listener could misunderstand which part of the day you mean.
The film begins at ten to seven.
How can I confirm an appointment time politely?
State the full planned time and ask a direct question. For example, ‘Is the appointment at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday?’ The day and a.m. or p.m. help both people check that they have the same arrangement.
Let us meet at quarter past two.
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