Buzz
Asking for the time in English is a common communication activity, along with asking for prices, discussing prices in English, inquiring about directions, and more. Therefore, you need to understand how to ask for the time in English, express it, and respond in various situations, enhancing the success of your communication. Similar to asking for prices in English, discussing prices, and talking about costs, you need to grasp specific tips to apply flexibly in different scenarios, ensuring your listener comprehends your message.
Techniques for asking the time in English: questioning, speaking, and responding
- Asking for the time in English: You can use two different question forms:
+ What time is it?
+ What’s the time?
- Common ways to read, speak, and respond to time in English: Express the hour first, followed by the minutes in a straightforward sequence.
Example:
+ 9:11 - nine eleven
+ 2:34 - two thirty-four
- If the number of minutes is less than 30, you'll read it like the following examples: 11:20 - twenty past eleven, 4:18 - eighteen past four, ...
- When the number of minutes is greater than 30:
+ 2:35 - twenty-five to three (3 hours minus 25 minutes).
+ 8:51 - nine to nine (9 hours minus 9 minutes).
- If the minute hand is at 15 minutes, you can use: a quarter past.
Example: 7:15 - a quarter past seven
- When the minute hand is at 30 minutes, you can use: half past.
Example: 3:30 - half past three.
With the techniques for asking the time in English, questioning, speaking, and responding just introduced, you can confidently inquire about the time when your phone is out of battery and accurately hear the current time. Alternatively, you can respond to someone asking you the time. Asking for the time in English, inquiring, speaking, and responding to time is a fundamental communication skill, so you need to grasp it before delving into more challenging knowledge areas.
For Windows users, there are numerous professional English learning software options available, covering comprehensive grammar and various sentence structures. If you lack the time to attend language centers, consider choosing one or more of the English learning software options we've shared. They serve as effective tools to meet your English learning needs.
