Time is a universal concept, but the way it’s expressed can vary greatly from one language to another. In English, there are several ways to express time, and understanding these expressions can greatly enhance one’s fluency in the language.
Here are some common ways to say time in English:
1. Whole Hours
When the minute hand points to 12, we express the time simply by the hour. For example, “It’s eight o’clock.”
2. Minutes Past the Hour
If the minute hand points anywhere between 1 and 30, we say the number of minutes past the hour. For instance, “It’s nine twenty,” means it’s 20 minutes past nine.
3. Alternative Expression for Minutes Past
An alternative way to express minutes past the hour is to say “It’s twenty after nine,” which also means it’s 20 minutes past nine.
4. Half Past the Hour
When the minute hand points to 6, we say “It’s half past” followed by the hour. For example, “It’s half past five.”
5. Minutes to the Hour
If the minute hand points anywhere between 31 and 59, we say the number of minutes to the next hour. For instance, “It’s five to eleven,” means it’s 5 minutes until eleven.
6. Midnight and Noon
“It’s midnight” refers to 12:00 at night, and “It’s noon” refers to 12:00 in the afternoon.
7. Quarter Past and Quarter To
“It’s quarter past three” means it’s 15 minutes past three, while “It’s a quarter to three” means it’s 15 minutes until three.
8. AM and PM
To distinguish between morning and evening, we use AM and PM. “AM” stands for “ante meridiem” which means “before midday” in Latin, and “PM” stands for “post meridiem”, meaning “after midday”. So, “It’s nine thirty AM” means it’s 9:30 in the morning, while “It’s nine thirty PM” means it’s 9:30 in the evening.
Understanding these expressions can help you tell time accurately and understand others when they tell time in English. Practice these phrases, and you’ll be telling time like a native English speaker in no time!
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