Asking for & telling the time

Asking for and telling the time

LILEI Online Language Community Tutor: Alba Lizeth Mora García

Video

Asking for the time

Asking for and telling the time is a fundamental aspect of communication in any language. In English, it's essential to understand how to ask for and provide the time to effectively manage schedules and coordinate activities. Let's look at both aspects

we often talk about time, it is necessary to learn how to do it well.

Ways to ask for the time

What time is it? "Excuse me, what time is it?"

there are different ways to ask for the time in English the most common ones are:

Do you have the time? "Hey, do you have the time? My watch stopped working."

Could you tell me the time, please? "Could you tell me the time, please? I need to catch my train."

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How to tell the time

We use At + time when giving the time of a specific event. Example: The class starts at 5 o'clock. We use it is or it's to answer a question that ask for the time right now. Example: What's the time - It's twenty to five

Telling the time in English typically involves using either the 12-hour clock or the 24-hour clock (also known as military time). Here are examples of both:

How to tell the time

When the minute hand reaches other numbers, there will be two ways for you to tell time: a. It’s + hour hand + minutes + [a.m/p.m]b. Use past & to to tell time. When the minute hand reaches number 12, you can say:

• ‘It’s + hour hand + o’clock’
• ‘It’s + hour hand + a.m [morning]/p.m [night]

Example: it's 4 o'clock/ it's 4 p.m For minute 1-30, you can use the word past to tell time

• It’s + the number of minutes+ past + hour

Example: its quarter past four/ its four fifteen For minute 31 – 50, you can use the word ‘to’ to tell time. ‘It’s + the number of minutes until it reaches number 12 + to + hour Example: it's ten to five/ it's four fifty.

Ways to telling the time

12-Hour ClockIn the 12-hour clock system, we use "a.m." (ante meridiem) for times before noon and "p.m." (post meridiem) for times after noon. The time is expressed as hours and minutes, followed by the appropriate abbreviation.

Digital clock format Hour + minutes+ am/pm

• it's 9: 15 am
• it's quarter past nine

Analong clock formatHour + O'clock + am/pm

• it's 8:00 o'clock pm
• the party start at 8 o'clock pm

Ways to telling the time

24-Hour Clock (Military Time)The 24-hour clock system eliminates the need for a.m. and p.m. and expresses time as hours and minutes in a 24-hour format.

Digital clock format Hour + Minutes

• it's 15:45 (3:45 p.m. in the 12-hour clock)

Analong clock formatHour + hundred hours

• 17 hundred hours (5:00 p.m. in the 12-hour clock)

Aditional phrases

Here are some additional phrases and vocabulary that might be useful when discussing time: O'clock: when the time is on the dot, i.e., there are no additional minutes. Example: It's 2:00 o'clockQuarter past: 15 minutes after the hour. Example: It's a quarter past nine. Half past: 30 minutes after the hour. Example: It's half past eleven. Quarter to: 15 minutes before the next hour. Example: It's a quarter to six.

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explanation

You can also tell the time with analog format. When it is 15 minutes past the hour we normally say: (a) quarter past

• 9:15 - It's (a) quarter past nine

When it is 15 minutes before the hour we normally say: a quarter to

• 12:45 - It's (a) quarter to one

Ways to ask if somebody has time or not

When somebody ‘has the time’, it means that they have some free time to do what you are asking them to do. You can say: Do you have the time? Hey, Sarah, do you have the time to review this document for me? I need some feedback before the meeting. ‘Have you got the time?’ Hey, Alex, have you got the time to help us prepare the site for the conference tomorrow? We could use an extra pair of hands.