2.5.3

Telling the Time

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Telling the Time

The position of the hands of a clock tells us what the time is.

Hour hand

Hour hand

  • Look at the hour hand first.
  • The hour hand tells you the hour of the day.
  • Once the hour hand passes a number, that number is the hour of the day until the hour hand passes the next number.
Example

Example

  • The hour hand is between 5 and 6.
  • That means the hour of the day is 5.
Minute hand

Minute hand

  • The minute hand moves around the clock to show how many minutes have gone by.
  • When it goes all the way round it is 60 minutes (1 hour).
  • Each small division between the numbers, shows 1 minute of the minute hand.
Minute hand

Minute hand

  • Each of the big numbers the minute hand passes, shows 5 minutes.
Example

Example

  • The minute hand is pointing to 8 minutes.

Telling the Time

The position of the hands of a clock tells us what the time is.

O'clock

O'clock

  • When the minute hand is exactly on the 12 it is the exact hour.
  • In the clock shown, the hour hand is on the 7 and the minute hand is on the 12.
    • That means it is seven o'clock.
Past

Past

  • When the minute hand has left the 12 and is not yet at the 6, we say past.
  • The hour hand will be just past the number.
  • In the clock shown, the hour hand is just past the 7 and the minute hand is on on the 2.
    • That means it is ten minutes past seven, or ten past seven.
To

To

  • When the minute hand has left the 6 and is not yet back to the 12, we say to.
  • This means it needs some more minutes to get to the exact hour.
  • The minute hand is on the 8 and the hour hand has not quite reached the 7.
  • It is twenty minutes to seven, or twenty to seven.
Half past

Half past

  • The minute hand is on the 6 and the hour hand is halfway between 7 and 8.
  • The minute hand has gone halfway round the clock.
  • This is 30 minutes or half an hour.
  • We say it is half past seven.
  • We don’t say a half past, 30 minutes past or half to.
Jump to other topics
1

Year 3 - Number

1.1

Number & Place Value

1.1.1Multiples1.1.2Counting in Multiples1.1.3Recognising Three-Digit Numbers1.1.4Finding 10 More or Less than a Number1.1.5Finding 100 More or Less than a Number1.1.6Ordering & Comparing Numbers up to 1,0001.1.7Writing & Reading Numbers1.1.8Representing Numbers
1.2

Addition & Subtraction

1.2.1Mental Addition & Subtraction1.2.2Column Method1.2.3Estimating Calculations1.2.4Inverse Operations1.2.5Missing Number Problems1.2.6Real-Life Problems
1.3

Multiplication & Division

1.3.1Times Tables1.3.2Using Times Tables1.3.3Multiplying Numbers1.3.4Missing Number Problems1.3.5Real-Life Problems
1.4

Fractions

1.4.1Tenths1.4.2Fractions1.4.3Fractions Equal to a Whole1.4.4Equivalent Fractions1.4.5Fractions of Shapes1.4.6Fractions of Amounts1.4.7Add & Subtract Fractions1.4.8Compare & Order Fractions
2

Year 3 - Measurement

2.1

Length

2.1.1Length2.1.2Comparing Lengths2.1.3Add & Subtract Lengths2.1.4Perimeter
2.2

Mass

2.2.1Mass2.2.2Comparing Masses2.2.3Add & Subtract Masses
2.3

Volume & Capacity

2.3.1Volume & Capacity2.3.2Comparing Volumes2.3.3Add & Subtract Volumes
2.4

Money

2.4.1Money2.4.2Counting Money2.4.3Adding & Subtracting Money
2.5

Time

2.5.1Units of Time2.5.2Clocks2.5.3Telling the Time2.5.4Time of the Day2.5.512-Hour & 24-Hour Clocks2.5.6Measuring Time
3

Year 3 - Geometry

3.1

Angles

3.1.1Angles in Degrees3.1.2Types of Angle
3.2

Properties of Shapes

3.2.12D Shapes3.2.23D Shapes
3.3

Straight Lines

3.3.1Straight Lines3.3.2Parallel & Perpendicular Lines
4

Year 3 - Statistics

4.1

Statistics

4.1.1Statistics4.1.2Pictograms & Bar Charts
5

Year 4 - Number

5.1

Number & Place Value

5.1.1Counting in Multiples5.1.2Recognising Four Digit Numbers5.1.3Find 1,000 More or Less than a Number5.1.4Negative Numbers5.1.5Ordering & Comparing Numbers Over 1,0005.1.6Representing Numbers5.1.7Rounding Numbers5.1.8Roman Numerals
5.2

Addition & Subtraction

5.2.1Written Methods for Adding Large Numbers5.2.2Written Methods for Subtracting Large Numbers5.2.3Estimation & Inverse Operations5.2.4Solving Two-Step Problems
5.3

Multiplication & Division

5.3.1Times Tables5.3.2Using Times Tables5.3.3Multiplication Rules5.3.4Column Method5.3.5Factors
5.4

Fractions & Decimals

5.4.1Identifying Equivalent Fractions5.4.2Adding & Subtracting Fractions5.4.3Hundredths5.4.4Decimals5.4.5Converting Between Decimals & Fractions5.4.6Rounding Decimals5.4.7Ordering Decimals
6

Year 4 - Measurement

6.1

Units

6.1.1Metric Measurements6.1.2Adding & Subtracting Money
6.2

Time

6.2.1Converting Units of Time6.2.2Changing the 12-Hour Clock to the 24-Hour Clock6.2.3Changing the 24-hour Clock to the 12-Hour Clock
7

Year 4 - Geometry

7.1

Properties of Shapes

7.1.1Symmetry7.1.2Types of Triangle7.1.3Quadrilaterals
7.2

Perimeter & Area

7.2.1Perimeter7.2.2Area
7.3

Position & Direction

7.3.1Coordinates7.3.2Translation
8

Year 4 - Statistics

8.1

Statistics

8.1.1Types of Data8.1.2Pictograms & Bar Charts8.1.3Line Graphs

Practice questions on Telling the Time

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    If the minute hand on a clock goes from 12 to 6, how many minutes have passed?Multiple choice
  2. 2
    If the minute hand on a clock goes from 12 to 8, how many minutes have passed?Multiple choice
  3. 3
    If the minute hand on a clock goes from 12 to 2, how many minutes have passed?Multiple choice
  4. 4
    Which hour of the day does the clock's hour hand show?Multiple choice
  5. 5
    How many minutes of the minute hand do the small divisions between the numbers represent?Multiple choice
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Clocks

Time of the Day