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For my students, asking “What time is it?” is one of the first challenges they face in English conversation. The reason? Telling time in English isn’t just about reading numbers — it’s about learning specific phrases and expressions that native speakers actually use. Here, I’ll walk you through the vocabulary and patterns you need to master clock time, from simple “o’clock” to the trickier “quarter past” and “twenty to” expressions.
You’ll explore six key areas: basic time-telling phrases, the 12-hour and 24-hour formats, AM and PM usage, units of time (from seconds to aeons), expressions for talking about the time of day, and plenty of examples you can use right away. By the end, you’ll feel confident answering “What’s the time?” in any situation.
Key Takeaways
- Five key phrases cover 99% of time-telling: “It’s X o’clock,” “It’s X past,” “It’s X to,” “It’s half past,” and “It’s quarter past/to.”
- The 12-hour clock (with AM/PM) is standard in American English; the 24-hour format is common in British, Australian, and international contexts.
- AM means morning (midnight to noon); PM means afternoon/evening (noon to midnight) — remember: ante meridiem vs. post meridiem.
- Common pitfall — learners often say “five and twenty” instead of “twenty to five”; master the direction (past/to) to avoid confusion.
- Real-world use — digital clocks show times like 14:45, but people still say “quarter to three” or “a quarter to three” in conversation.
Basic Time-Telling Phrases in English
There are six core phrases you need to learn. These patterns work for any time on a 12-hour clock:
| Phrase Pattern | Example (Clock shows 3:00) | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| It’s X o’clock. | It’s three o’clock. | On the hour (minutes = 00) |
| It’s X past Y. | It’s ten past three. (3:10) | After the hour, 1–29 minutes |
| It’s quarter past Y. | It’s quarter past three. (3:15) | Exactly 15 minutes past |
| It’s half past Y. | It’s half past three. (3:30) | Exactly 30 minutes past |
| It’s X to Y. | It’s twenty to four. (3:40) | Before the hour, 1–29 minutes |
| It’s quarter to Y. | It’s quarter to four. (3:45) | Exactly 15 minutes before the next hour |
Key insight: When you use “past,” you say the hour you’re in. When you use “to,” you say the next hour (the one coming up). This is the most common mistake: learners reverse the direction.
Example: At 3:45, you say “It’s quarter to four” — not “quarter to three,” because you’re heading toward four o’clock.
The 12-Hour and 24-Hour Clock Formats
12-Hour Clock (with AM and PM)
In American English and informal British speech, the 12-hour clock is standard. You divide the day into two 12-hour periods and use AM (morning/overnight) and PM (afternoon/evening).
- 12:00 AM = midnight (start of the day)
- 1:00 AM = 1 a.m. (very early morning)
- 12:00 PM = noon (midday)
- 1:00 PM = 1 p.m. (early afternoon)
- 11:00 PM = 11 p.m. (late evening)
Example: “I have a dentist appointment at 2:30 PM” means 2:30 in the afternoon. If you said “2:30 AM,” it would be the middle of the night — very different!
24-Hour Clock (Military/International Time)
In British English, professional settings, international contexts, and technical use, the 24-hour clock (also called military time) is common. Hours run from 00:00 (midnight) to 23:59 (one minute before midnight).
- 00:00 = midnight
- 06:30 = 6:30 a.m. (early morning)
- 12:00 = noon
- 14:45 = 2:45 p.m. (afternoon)
- 23:59 = 11:59 p.m. (late night)
Example: A train timetable might show “Departs 17:30” (5:30 PM). In speech, you’d still say “half past five in the evening” or “five thirty p.m.”
Pro tip for learners: To convert 24-hour to 12-hour AM/PM times, subtract 12 from any hour after 12:00 noon. So 14:00 becomes 2:00 PM (14 − 12 = 2). For midnight times (00:xx), those are AM times after midnight (e.g., 00:45 is 12:45 AM).
Units of Time in English
Understanding time units helps you talk about durations and schedules beyond just the clock. Here are the main ones:
| Unit | Abbreviation / Symbol | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Millisecond | ms | 1/1,000 of a second (used in computing, very fast) |
| Second | s, sec | SI base unit of time |
| Minute | min | 60 seconds |
| Hour | h, hr | 60 minutes = 3,600 seconds |
| Day | d | 24 hours |
| Week | wk | 7 days |
| Fortnight | — | 14 days (2 weeks) — mainly British |
| Month | mo | 28–31 days (approximately 4 weeks) |
| Year | yr | 12 months ≈ 365 days (366 in leap years) |
| Decade | — | 10 years |
| Century | — | 100 years |
| Millennium | — | 1,000 years |
Example 1: “The meeting lasts 90 minutes” = 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Example 2: “I haven’t seen him in a fortnight” (British English) = I haven’t seen him in two weeks.
Example 3: “She was born in the last century” = She was born in the 20th century (before 2000).
Asking About the Time
You also need to know how to ask for the time. Here are the most natural questions:
- What time is it?
- What’s the time?
- Can you tell me the time?
- Do you have the time?
- What time do you have?
- Excuse me, do you know the time?
Example: “Excuse me, do you know the time?” is polite and natural in conversation. “What time is it?” is more direct and friendly.
Talking About Times of Day
Beyond reading the clock, English speakers use specific terms for different parts of the day. These are useful for scheduling and conversation:
| Time Period | Approximate Clock Time | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Midnight | 12:00 AM (00:00) | The party goes until midnight. |
| Early morning | 4:00–6:00 AM | I wake up at early morning to go running. |
| Morning | 6:00 AM–12:00 PM | I drink coffee every morning. |
| Noon / Midday | 12:00 PM | I usually eat lunch at noon. |
| Afternoon | 12:00–6:00 PM | I’ll meet you this afternoon at 3 o’clock. |
| Evening | 6:00–9:00 PM | What are you doing this evening? |
| Night / Late night | 9:00 PM–12:00 AM | I’m usually in bed by 10 p.m. at night. |
| Dinnertime | Around 5:00–7:00 PM | I’ll be free around dinnertime. |
Example: “I’m usually in bed by 10 p.m.” uses both clock time (10 p.m.) and time period (bed/night) to communicate a routine.
Common Mistakes with Time
✗ Incorrect: “It’s twenty to three.” (meaning 2:40, but said as if reading 3:20)
✓ Correct: “It’s twenty to three.” (3:00 − 20 minutes = 2:40)
Why: When you say “to,” you’re counting down to the next hour. Always say the hour you’re heading toward, not the hour you’re in.
✗ Incorrect: “I have an appointment at 14:30 p.m.”
✓ Correct: “I have an appointment at 2:30 p.m.” or “I have an appointment at 14:30.”
Why: If you use the 24-hour format (14:30), you don’t add “p.m.” — the 24-hour system already specifies it’s afternoon. Choose one or the other, not both.
✗ Incorrect: “The class is at 9:00 AM in the morning.”
✓ Correct: “The class is at 9:00 a.m.” or “The class is in the morning.”
Why: “9:00 AM” already tells you it’s morning (ante meridiem); adding “in the morning” is redundant, though some speakers do it casually.
Sample Dialogue: Asking for the Time
Ana: Excuse me, do you have the time?
Leo: Yeah, it’s half past two.
Ana: Half past two? Is that 2:30 or 2:15?
Leo: It’s 2:30 — exactly halfway through the hour. Quarter past would be 2:15, and quarter to three is 2:45.
Ana: Got it. So if the clock shows 4:40, I’d say—?
Leo: Twenty to five, because you’re twenty minutes away from five o’clock.
Ana: Perfect, thanks! My train leaves at 5:15 — that’s quarter past five, right?
Leo: Exactly! You’ve got about forty-five minutes.
Quick Quiz
- The clock shows 3:45. What do you say?
A) It’s quarter to four. B) It’s quarter past three. C) It’s forty-five minutes. - What is 17:00 in 12-hour AM/PM format?
A) 5:00 AM B) 5:00 PM C) 4:00 PM - Which phrase asks for the time most politely?
A) What time is it? B) Excuse me, do you know the time? C) Tell me the time. - Fill in: “I’ll see you ________ this afternoon.” (noon / at noon / until noon)
A) at noon B) noon C) until noon - How many hours are there between 2:15 PM and 2:15 AM the next day?
A) 12 hours B) 24 hours C) 11 hours
Answers: 1. A · 2. B · 3. B · 4. A · 5. A (from 2:15 PM to 2:15 AM = 12 hours exactly)
Related Articles
- ↑ Master Pillar: English Grammar
- ↑ Back to pillar: English Vocabulary (Topical)
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between AM and PM?
AM (ante meridiem) means “before noon” and covers 12:00 AM (midnight) to 11:59 AM. PM (post meridiem) means “after noon” and covers 12:00 PM (noon) to 11:59 PM. The tricky part: 12:00 AM is midnight (start of the day), not morning.
Is “half past” the same as “30 minutes past”?
Yes, they mean exactly the same thing. “It’s half past three” and “It’s 30 minutes past three” both refer to 3:30. “Half past” is much more common in speech, while “30 minutes past” is more formal or precise.
Can I say “a quarter to four” or do I have to say “quarter to four”?
Both are correct and natural. “A quarter to four” and “quarter to four” are equally common. The article “a” doesn’t change the meaning — it’s just a stylistic choice. Same goes for “half past” vs. “a half past.”
Do British and American English say times differently?
Not really — both say “quarter past three,” “twenty to four,” and “half past six” the same way. The main difference is that American English favors the 12-hour clock with AM/PM, while British English and many other countries use the 24-hour format in timetables and official contexts. In casual speech, both systems sound the same.
How do I read a digital clock that shows 14:30?
In the 24-hour format, 14:30 is 2:30 in the afternoon (14 − 12 = 2). You can say “fourteen thirty” if you’re reading it as military/technical time, or “half past two” or “two thirty p.m.” if you’re speaking naturally. In real conversation, people almost never say “fourteen thirty”—they convert it to a 12-hour time.
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