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Telling the time

What time is it? — and how this coursebook says the answer.

There are two ways to ask: 'What time is it?' and 'What's the time?' Both mean the same thing. The answer begins with 'It's'. This coursebook says the time the digital way: read the hour first, then the minutes, exactly as they appear on the clock. 9:00 is 'nine o'clock'. 11:00 is 'eleven o'clock'. 4:15 is 'four fifteen'. 5:15 is 'five fifteen'. 2:30 is 'two thirty'. 7:30 is 'seven thirty'. 12:45 is 'twelve forty-five'. Only an exact hour uses the word 'o'clock' — you never say 'four fifteen o'clock'. The word order matters: the HOUR comes first and the minutes second, so 7:30 is 'seven thirty' and not 'thirty seven'. Times are also how you talk about a day: 'I get up at 9:00 on weekends.' 'It opens at 8 a.m.' Note 'at' before a clock time.

Key terms

What time is it? — The question about the clock. 'What's the time?' means exactly the same.
o'clock — The word used only for an exact hour: nine o'clock, eleven o'clock.
hour — The first number on the clock — the one you say first.
minutes — The second number on the clock — the one you say after the hour.
a.m. — The hours from midnight to midday. "It opens at 8 a.m." means eight in the morning.
at — The word used before a clock time: 'at nine o'clock', 'at seven thirty'.
Reading the clock
ClockYou sayo'clock?
9:00nine o'clockyes — exact hour
11:00eleven o'clockyes — exact hour
4:15four fifteenno
5:15five fifteenno
2:30two thirtyno
7:30seven thirtyno
12:45twelve forty-fiveno

Hour first, minutes second. 'O'clock' belongs only to the exact hour.

Asking and answering
QuestionAnswer
What time is it?It's nine o'clock.
What's the time?It's two thirty.
What time is it in New York City?It's seven thirty.
What time do you get up?I get up at 9:00 on weekends.
When does it open?It opens at 8 a.m.

A clock time takes 'at' when it says WHEN something happens.

Common mistakes
WrongRightWhy
four fifteen o'clockfour fifteeno'clock is only for an exact hour
thirty sevenseven thirtythe hour is said first
It's o'clock nineIt's nine o'clocko'clock comes after the hour
I get up in seven thirtyI get up at seven thirtyclock times take 'at'
fivteenfifteenthe spelling of 15

Four of these five are word-order or word-choice errors, not vocabulary ones.

✎Reading a clock, step by step
  1. 1The clock: 12:45
  2. 2Step 1: say the hour: twelve
  3. 3Step 2: say the minutes: forty-five
  4. 4Step 3: put them together, with no o'clock: 'It's twelve forty-five.'
✎Answering about another city
  1. 1The question: 'What time is it in New York City?'
  2. 2Step 1: begin the answer: 'It's …'
  3. 3Step 2: read the clock, hour first: 7:30 → seven thirty
  4. 4Step 3: the full answer: 'It's seven thirty.'
🚫Common mistake

Never put 'o'clock' after a time with minutes. 'It's four fifteen o'clock' is wrong — it is simply 'It's four fifteen.'

🚫Common mistake

The hour always comes first. 7:30 is "seven thirty", never "thirty seven".

⚠️Caution

Use 'at' before a clock time when you say WHEN: 'I get up at seven thirty', not 'in seven thirty'.

💡Note

'What time is it?' and 'What's the time?' are both correct and mean the same thing.

💡Note

This coursebook reads the clock the digital way — five fifteen, twelve forty-five. English also has 'quarter past' and 'half past', but they are not what your book uses in Grade 5.

Rules

  1. 1Ask with 'What time is it?' or 'What's the time?'
  2. 2Answer with 'It's …'.
  3. 3Say the hour first, then the minutes: 4:15 = 'four fifteen'.
  4. 4Use 'o'clock' ONLY for an exact hour: 9:00 = 'nine o'clock'.
  5. 5Never add 'o'clock' to a time with minutes: 'four fifteen o'clock' is wrong.
  6. 6Use 'at' before a clock time: 'I get up at seven thirty.'

Practice

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