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Watch: Telling the time

Watch the video below to recap on some key words you need to tell the time.

Telling the time to 5 minutes

When the minute hand on a clock moves from one number to the next, it has moved 5 minutes.

There are 12 numbers around the clock face, and each interval is 5 minutes…

12 × 5 = 60 minutes in an hour.

Let's use this knowledge to tell the time on the clocks below.

Example 1

This clock shows 5 minutes past 2 o'clock or 5 past 2.

This clock shows 20 minutes past 1 o'clock or 20 past 1.

If the number of minutes past the hour is more than 30, we say how many minutes to the next hour.

So instead of saying 50 minutes past 3 o’clock we say 10 to 4.

Top tip

Check the minute hand to see if it shows minutes past or minutes to the hour.

Example 2

How many minutes is it from 5 past 7 until 25 past 7?

Between these two times, the minute hand moves from 1 to 5, which is 4 numbers. Each of these number represents 5 minutes.

4 × 5 = 20

Therefore, there are 20 minutes between 5 past 7 and 25 past 7.

How many minutes is it from 10 past 3 until 20 to 4?

The minute hand moves from 2 to 8, which is 6 numbers.

6 × 5 = 30 minutes

Remember

When the minute hand is on 3, we say quarter past, and when it is on 9 we say quarter to.

Activity 1

Practise reading the time during the day.

Notice when the minute hand is on a number and work out how many minutes past or minutes to the hour.

(i) What time is it now?

(ii) How many minutes is it until the next hour?

Activity 2

Test your knowledge with this quiz!