TIME CHALLENGE 20 Questions What time is it? EASY ENGLISH for BEGINNERS

---

Explanation + Quiz

How to tell the time in English

When learning to tell the time in English, there are two common ways to say it.

---

1. The Simple Way: Saying the Hour and Minutes

This is the easiest way to tell the time. You just say the hour first, and then the minutes.

• Example 1: 6:30 → “Six thirty”
• Example 2: 9:15 → “Nine fifteen”
• Example 3: 4:45 → “Four forty-five”

For tricky times:

• If the minutes are 00, just say the hour:
  • Example: 7:00 → “Seven o’clock”
• If the minutes are less than 10, say oh before the minutes:
  • Example: 8:05 → “Eight oh five”

---

2. The Traditional Way: Using “Past” and “To”

In this way, you divide the clock into two halves:

• The first half (minutes 1-30) uses past.
• The second half (minutes 31-59) uses to.

Past (for minutes 1-30)

You say the minutes first, then the word past, and then the hour.

• Example 1: 6:10 → “Ten past six”
• Example 2: 9:20 → “Twenty past nine”
• Example 3: 3:15 → “Quarter past three” (Note: “Quarter” means 15 minutes)

To (for minutes 31-59)

You say how many minutes are left until the next hour. First, say the minutes, then to, and then the next hour.

• Example 1: 7:40 → “Twenty to eight” (40 minutes past 7, or 20 minutes before 8)
• Example 2: 11:45 → “Quarter to twelve” (Note: “Quarter” means 15 minutes)
• Example 3: 5:50 → “Ten to six” (10 minutes before 6)

---

Tricky Examples

1. 12:00 (Noon or Midnight)
   • Simple way: “Twelve o’clock”
   • Traditional way: Say “noon” for 12:00 PM (day) and “midnight” for 12:00 AM (night).
2. 12:15 and 12:45
   • 12:15 → Simple: “Twelve fifteen” or Traditional: “Quarter past twelve”
   • 12:45 → Simple: “Twelve forty-five” or Traditional: “Quarter to one”
3. 7:35
   • Simple: “Seven thirty-five”
   • Traditional: “Twenty-five to eight” (35 minutes past 7, 25 minutes before 8)
4. 2:55
   • Simple: “Two fifty-five”
   • Traditional: “Five to three” (5 minutes before 3)

---

Key Words:

• Quarter = 15 minutes
• Half = 30 minutes
• O’clock = When there are no minutes (e.g., 5:00 = “Five o’clock”)

By practicing both ways, students can become comfortable telling time in any situation!

---

Extra Practice

Quiz: Telling the Time in Two Ways

For each time, say it out loud using both ways (Simple and Traditional).

1. 2:15
2. 5:30
3. 10:05
4. 6:55
5. 12:40
6. 8:45
7. 1:25
8. 9:10
9. 4:50
10. 7:35
11. 3:20
12. 11:15
13. 6:05
14. 10:50
15. 12:20
16. 5:40
17. 8:30
18. 1:10
19. 7:55
20. 9:35

---

Answers

1. 2:15
   • Simple: Two fifteen
   • Traditional: Quarter past two
2. 5:30
   • Simple: Five thirty
   • Traditional: Half past five
3. 10:05
   • Simple: Ten oh five
   • Traditional: Five past ten
4. 6:55
   • Simple: Six fifty-five
   • Traditional: Five to seven
5. 12:40
   • Simple: Twelve forty
   • Traditional: Twenty to one
6. 8:45
   • Simple: Eight forty-five
   • Traditional: Quarter to nine
7. 1:25
   • Simple: One twenty-five
   • Traditional: Twenty-five past one
8. 9:10
   • Simple: Nine ten
   • Traditional: Ten past nine
9. 4:50
   • Simple: Four fifty
   • Traditional: Ten to five
10. 7:35
    • Simple: Seven thirty-five
    • Traditional: Twenty-five to eight
11. 3:20
    • Simple: Three twenty
    • Traditional: Twenty past three
12. 11:15
    • Simple: Eleven fifteen
    • Traditional: Quarter past eleven
13. 6:05
    • Simple: Six oh five
    • Traditional: Five past six
14. 10:50
    • Simple: Ten fifty
    • Traditional: Ten to eleven
15. 12:20
    • Simple: Twelve twenty
    • Traditional: Twenty past twelve
16. 5:40
    • Simple: Five forty
    • Traditional: Twenty to six
17. 8:30
    • Simple: Eight thirty
    • Traditional: Half past eight
18. 1:10
    • Simple: One ten
    • Traditional: Ten past one
19. 7:55
    • Simple: Seven fifty-five
    • Traditional: Five to eight
20. 9:35
    • Simple: Nine thirty-five
    • Traditional: Twenty-five to ten