What’s The Time?

How to tell the time in English

a.m. – p.m.

a.m. = ante meridiem = the time from midnight to noon = from 00:00 to 12:00

p.m. = post meridiem = the time from noon to midnight = from 12:00 to 24:00

The 24-hour clock is the most commonly used time notation in the world today.

But in English speaking countries the 12-hour clock
is the dominant system of time written and spoken.

The 24-hour clock is only used by the military
in the United States and Canada.

24-hour and 12-hour clock

Examples:

24-hour
12-hour
 

11:00
11 a.m.
It’s eleven o’clock a.m.

23:00
11 p.m.
It’s eleven o’clock p.m.

10:30
10.30 a.m.
It’s half past ten a.m.

22:30
10:30 p.m.
It’s half past ten p.m.

04:45
4:45 a.m.
It’s a quarter to five a.m.

16:45
4:45 p.m.
It’s a quarter to five p.m.

08:15
8:15 a.m.
It’s a quarter past eight a.m.

20:15
8:15 p.m.
It’s a quarter past eight p.m.

09:10
9:10 a.m.
It’s ten (minutes) past nine a.m.

11:20
11:20 a.m.
It’ twenty (minutes) past eleven a.m.

21:50
9:50 p.m.
It’s ten (minutes) to ten p.m.

19:40
7:40 p.m.
It’s twenty (minutes) to eight p.m.

Asking for the time

There are two questions to ask for the time: What’s the time? or What time is it?

EXERCISES

What’s The Time – Exercise 1 – digital time

What’s The Time – Exercise 2 – digital time

What’s The Time – Exercise 3 – analog time

What’s The Time – Exercise 4 – analog time

What’s The Time – Exercise 5 – matching exercise

What’s The Time – Exercise 6 – matching exercise

What’s The Time – Exercise 7 – matching exercise

What’s The Time – Exercise 8 – matching exercise