Telling Time in English: A Beginner's Guide

Introduction to Telling Time in English

"Telling Time in English: A Beginner's Guide" is an essential lesson for ESL students beginning their journey in English. Understanding how to read the time on clocks and express it in conversation is a fundamental skill. This lesson will introduce you to the basic vocabulary and structures needed to tell the time in English, focusing on the use of the big hand (minutes) and the small hand (hours) on a clock face.

Learning Objectives

• Recognize the position of the big and small hands on a clock to tell the time.
• Learn to express the time using phrases like "o'clock," "quarter past," and "half past."
• Apply the preposition "at" when talking about specific times of events.

How to Tell The Time in English

To tell the time in English, we observe the position of the clock's hands. The small hand indicates the hour, and the big hand shows the minutes.

Expressing Time

1. Full Hours: Use "It's ... o'clock" for full hours.

   • 2:00 - It's two o'clock.

2. Minutes Past the Hour: Use "It's ... past ..." for minutes after the hour.

   • 2:05 - It's five past two.
   • 2:10 - It's ten past two.
   • 2:20 - It's twenty past two.
   • 2:25 - It's twenty-five past two.

3. Half Past: Use "It's half past ..." when the minute hand is on 6.

   • 2:30 - It's half past two.

4. Minutes to the Next Hour: Use "It's ... to ..." for minutes before the next hour.

   • 2:35 - It's twenty-five to three.
   • 2:40 - It's twenty to three.
   • 2:45 - It's quarter to three.
   • 2:50 - It's ten to three.
   • 2:55 - It's five to three.

5. Quarter Hours: Use "(a) quarter past ..." and "(a) quarter to ..." for 15 minutes past or to the hour.

   • 2:15 - It's quarter past two.
   • 2:45 - It's quarter to three.

Using "At" + Time

• When specifying the time of an event, use "at" before the time.
  • The class starts at nine o'clock.

Answering Time Questions

• To answer questions about the current time, use "It is" or "It's."
  • What time is it? It's half past four.

Conclusion / Summary and Takeaways

This lesson explored the basics of telling time in English, a vital skill for everyday communication. You've learned how to interpret the clock's hands and express time in various formats, from full hours to more specific times like "quarter past" and "half past."

1. Remembering Strategies: Visual aids, such as pictures of clocks with different times, can help reinforce your learning. Creating your own examples or practising with real clocks can also be beneficial.
2. Practical Application: Try to use your new skills in daily life. Ask and answer questions about the time in English whenever you can.
3. Language Integration: Incorporating time expressions into your English conversations will help you become more comfortable with the language.
4. Engagement: To connect with other learners, share your experiences and learning tips on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/learningenglishfree.co.uk.
5. Continuous Learning: Keep challenging yourself with more complex time-telling scenarios and other aspects of English grammar to enhance your fluency.

Remember, practice makes perfect. Regularly asking and telling the time in English will help solidify your understanding and boost your confidence in using your new skills in real-world situations.