Telling Time
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English as a Second Language
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Telling Time
Telling time is a fundamental life skill that involves understanding how we measure and organize our daily lives. It’s about knowing where we are in the day, how long something takes, and when events are scheduled.
The following diagrams show examples of telling time. Scroll down the page for more examples of telling time in English.
Time Worksheets
Practice your skills with the following worksheets:
Printable & Online Time Worksheets
Analog Clocks
Analog clocks use rotating hands to show the time.
The Face: Usually has numbers 1 through 12.
The Hour Hand (short hand): Moves slowly and points to the hour.
The Minute Hand (long hand): Moves faster and points to the minute.
The Second Hand (thin, fast hand - often optional): Sweeps around quickly, showing seconds.
How to Read an Analog Clock:
- Read the Hour Hand:
Look at the short hand. It points to or slightly past the hour.
If it’s between two numbers, it’s always the lower number. For example, if it’s between 3 and 4, it’s 3 o’clock something. - Read the Minute Hand:
Look at the long hand.
Each number on the clock face also represents minutes, counting by 5s.
1 = 5 minutes past the hour
2 = 10 minutes past the hour
3 = 15 minutes past the hour (quarter past)
6 = 30 minutes past the hour (half past)
9 = 45 minutes past the hour (quarter to the next hour)
12 = 00 minutes (o’clock)
The small marks between the numbers usually represent individual minutes.
Telling the Time in English
English Vocabulary - Telling Time
Telling time
An English teacher explains how to tell time in English.
Describing Travel Time in English
This video teaches students how to ask and answer questions about travel time.
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