How to tell the time

MELISA: Emily, do you know what time it is?

EMILY: No, what time is it?

MELISA: It's pizza time!

EMILY: Mmm, yum!

MELISA: Hey, wait! Today we're going to learn how to tell the time … with a pizza!

EMILY: Oh, OK!

MELISA: OK, before we start, we have to know a couple of things.

EMILY: This is a clock, right?

MELISA: Yes, and these are its hands. The little hand shows us the hours and the big hand shows us the minutes.

When the big hand is pointing to the twelve, we say it's o'clock.

Now it's four o'clock. So, Emily, what's the time now?

EMILY: Mmm, now it's five o'clock!

MELISA: Very good!

When the big hand is pointing to the three, we say it's quarter past.

EMILY: Mmm, why do we say it's quarter past?

MELISA: Because a quarter of the hour has passed! So, what's the time?

EMILY: Now it's quarter past … five?

MELISA: Perfect! When the big hand is pointing to the six, we say it's half past.

EMILY: Because half of the hour has passed! So, now it's half past five!

MELISA: Fantastic! And, finally, when the big hand is on the nine, we say it's quarter to.

EMILY: So now it's quarter to six!

MELISA: Perfect! But, what happens when the big hand isn't on the twelve, the three, the six or the nine?

EMILY: Pff, I don't know!

MELISA: Well, we count the minutes in fives. So, now it's five past six, it's ten past six, it's quarter past six …

EMILY: ... it's twenty past six, it's twenty-five past six, it's half past six …

MELISA: Wait a minute! After half past, it changes. Then we count how many minutes there are before the next hour. It's twenty-five to seven, it's twenty to seven …

EMILY: I see! It's quarter to seven, it's ten to seven …

MELISA: That's right!

EMILY: What time is it? I'm hungry!

MELISA: It's pizza o'clock!

EMILY: Yes!

MELISA: We hope you have fun learning to tell the time with us!

MELISA AND EMILY: Goodbye!

MELISA: Remember! To tell the time:

• When the big hand is on the twelve, we say it's o'clock.
• When the big hand is on the three, we say it's quarter past.
• When the big hand is on the six, we say it's half past.
• When the big hand is on the nine, we say it's quarter to.
• For other times, we count the minutes in fives.

That's it! Now you can practise telling the time.