# telling the time



## samiraa

I would like to know how to say time in a formel way ,ex : 10:55 ,is it true to say "he was born at *ten o’clock fifty five" Many thanks. *


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## Cenzontle

Short answer:


> he was born at *ten o’clock fifty-five*


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## xiaoen

2:55

1. It's two fifty-five. AmE / BrE
2. It's five before three. AmE
3. It’s five to three.

Hello,
I have two questions:

Is sentence #2 also common in the UK?
Sentence #3 is American of British? or it's common in both the UK and US?


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## natkretep

Sentence 2 is North American, not British.
Sentence 3 is both AmE and BrE.


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## xiaoen

Thank you very much natkretep.

Once I heard an American told me that they sometimes use [of] instead of [to].

For example: 

2:40
*It's two forty.* BrE and AmE
*It's twenty to three.* BrE and AmE
*It's twenty **of** three.* AmE

2:45
*It's two forty-five.* correct BrE and AmE 
*It's (a) quarter to three.* correct BrE and AmE
*It's (a) quarter of three.* correct AmE

According to the blue parts, can we say [*It's eighteen minutes of three.* ==> 2:42] is correct?


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## Glenfarclas

xiaoen said:


> According to the blue parts, can we say [*It's eighteen minutes of three.* ==> 2:42] is correct?



I say "of" in phrases like "a quarter of three," but I wouldn't say "eighteen minutes of three," no.


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## xiaoen

Thank you. So, in clock times, Americans use "*of*" only for *quarters*? Yes?


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## Glenfarclas

xiaoen said:


> Thank you. So, in clock times, Americans use "*of*" only for *quarters*? Yes?



No, "twenty of six" is perfectly fine.  "Eighteen minutes of three" sounds strange and longwinded.


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## xiaoen

Thank you. How about these in the US:

It's ten *of *three. => 2:50
It's six minutes *of* three. => 2:54

Can I use "of" in the above two examples in the US?


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## spilorrific

It's twenty to three. = It's twenty of three.

I think the even multiples of five after the 30-minute mark (35, 40, 45, 50, 55) can use used with "to" or "of" in AmE. 
It's five of...  = It's five to...
It's ten of...   = It's ten to...
It's quarter of (not "fifteen of," please note).... = It's quarter to...
It's twenty of... = It's twenty to...
It's twenty-five of... = It's twenty-five to....

I suppose one could say "It's sixteen (minutes) to three" and mean "It's two forty-four."  I would never say "It's sixteen of three"... but I suspect many English speakers would not say "It's sixteen to three," either.


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## natkretep

No, if it isn't a multiple of five, I need to add _minutes_: 'It's sixteen minutes to three' is perfectly acceptable in my variety, but not 'It's sixteen to three'.


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## xiaoen

Thank you dear members. I have five questions written in brown about "00:05".

*00:05*

It’s twelve-oh-five. ==========> Is this just American or it's British too?
It’s five minutes past midnight. ==========> Is this just American or it's British too? And can I think I can omit "minutes" here. Right?
It’s five past midnight. ==========> Is this just British or it's American too?
It's five after midnight. =====> Does this also work in the US or UK?


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## DonnyB

It’s twelve-oh-five. ==========> Is this just American or it's British too?
It's British, but sounds quite formal: we wouldn't use it in ordinary conversation.

It’s five minutes past midnight. ==========> Is this just American or it's British too? And can I think I can omit "minutes" here. Right?
Yes that works in BE.  We'd omit the "minutes" more often than not.

It’s five past midnight. ==========> Is this just British or it's American too?
You need an AE speaker to tell you whether that works for them or not.

It's five after midnight. =====> Does this also work in the US or UK?
That sounds American to me: it doesn't work in BE.


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## xiaoen

DonnyB said:


> It’s five minutes past midnight. ==========> Is this just American or it's British too? And can I think I can omit "minutes" here. Right?
> Yes that works in BE.  We'd omit the "minutes" more often than not.
> 
> It’s five past midnight. ==========> Is this just British or it's American too?
> You need an AE speaker to tell you whether that works for them or not.


But these two look the same. Why doesn't the second one work for you when the first one can work?


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## DonnyB

xiaoen said:


> But these two look the same. Why doesn't the second one work for you when the first one can work?


They are basically the same.  It does work for me, as I replied about the first one.

What you were asking about the second one was whether it works for *Americans*, so I replied that you'd have to wait for one of them to tell you.


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## RedwoodGrove

It’s twelve-oh-five. ==========> Is this just American or it's British too?
Americans would say this more often than the others, and it is not considered formal but rather the opposite.

It’s five minutes past midnight. ==========> Is this just American or it's British too? And can I think I can omit "minutes" here. Right?
Americans would use this to spell out exactly what the time is. In this construction it could just as easily be "after".

It’s five past midnight. ==========> Is this just British or it's American too?
It's more British, I believe, but Americans use it some of the time.

It's five after midnight. =====> Does this also work in the US or UK?
Americans generally use "after" for the number of minutes beyond the hour. As a side note, there is a distinction between the usage in the first half hour and in the second half hour. We would not say, "forty minutes after", for example. Instead it would be "twelve forty" or "twenty [minutes] to one [o'clock]".

Of course, I can't speak for all Americans and some may have different usages.


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## xiaoen

RedwoodGrove said:


> Americans generally use "after" for the number of minutes beyond the hour. As a side note, there is a distinction between the usage in the first half hour and in the second half hour. We would not say, "forty minutes after", for example. Instead it would be "twelve forty" or "twenty [minutes] to one [o'clock]".



Thank you. So, you won't say this=> It's five after midnight.

Right?


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## RedwoodGrove

Yes indeed, we would say exactly that. Or quarter after. Or twenty-five after. But not forty-five after.


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## xiaoen

Thank you. I have three other questions written in brown:

*7:15*

1. It’s a quarter after seven. AmE
2. It’s a quarter past seven. BrE ====> Is this also used in the US? or it's just British?
3. It’s seven fifteen.  AmE & BrE
4. It’s fifteen past seven. 
5. It’s fifteen minutes past seven. BrE ===> This looks like #4, so why is #4 wrong when #5 is correct?
6. It’s fifteen minutes after seven. AmE ===> This looks like #7, so why is #7 wrong when #6 is correct?
7. It’s fifteen after seven.

Thank you in advance.


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## DonnyB

xiaoen said:


> *7:15*
> 4. It’s fifteen past seven.
> 5. It’s fifteen minutes past seven. BrE ===> This looks like #4, so why is #4 wrong when #5 is correct?


In BE we use "quarter past" for 15 minutes past instead of fifteen past.  That may seem illogical since the other multiples of 5 are five past, ten past, twenty past and twenty-five past, but that's just the way it is, I'm afraid.


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## heypresto

DonnyB said:


> n BE we use "quarter past" for 15 minutes past instead of fifteen past.



 And you'll also hear some say '*a* quarter past'. I personally don't say the 'a'.


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## xiaoen

Thank you both. Now I have two questions of Americans:

2. It’s a quarter past seven. BrE =====> Is this also used in the US by Americans?
5. It’s fifteen minutes past seven. BrE =====> Is this also used in the US by Americans?


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## RedwoodGrove

1. It’s a quarter after seven. AmE
2. It’s a quarter past seven. BrE ====> Is this also used in the US? or it's just British?
3. It’s seven fifteen.  AmE & BrE
4. It’s fifteen past seven. 
5. It’s fifteen minutes past seven. BrE ===> This looks like #4, so why is #4 wrong when #5 is correct?
6. It’s fifteen minutes after seven. AmE ===> This looks like #7, so why is #7 wrong when #6 is correct?
7. It’s fifteen after seven.

Numbers 4 and 7 look OK to me. For number 2, I think Americans use "past" regularly but not as often as "after". In number 4, the difference is mainly that if it's 15 minutes, we say "quarter" after. Same for 5, 6, and 7.

However, in #5, you might state the number of minutes if you're stressing, for example, that someone is late or that it's time to leave.


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## xiaoen

RedwoodGrove, thank you for answering but are you sure that #4 and #7 are correct in the US?


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## RedwoodGrove

Well, correct is a relative term, so to speak, even when you are dealing with exams or multiple choice exercises. While they are grammatically correct and might be used in some contexts, they are not entirely idiomatic in most situations. In other words, they are less likely to be used than the alternatives.

Speaking of exams, typically with multiple choice answers, you are asked to find the best answer, not necessarily the correct answer. Usually when four choices are given (A, B, C, D or 1, 2, 3, 4) There is one that is clearly wrong, one that is most likely wrong, and two that are possibilities. Of the last two, usually you choose the "better" of the two. That doesn't make the other incorrect. So I don't know if you are dealing with this right now, but I hope that helps with your situation at hand.


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## bennymix

I think #4 and #7 are not much used in AE.  'twenty' works, though.  



RedwoodGrove said:


> 1. It’s a quarter after seven. AmE
> 2. It’s a quarter past seven. BrE ====> Is this also used in the US? or it's just British?
> 3. It’s seven fifteen.  AmE & BrE
> 4. It’s fifteen past seven.
> 5. It’s fifteen minutes past seven. BrE ===> This looks like #4, so why is #4 wrong when #5 is correct?
> 6. It’s fifteen minutes after seven. AmE ===> This looks like #7, so why is #7 wrong when #6 is correct?
> 7. It’s fifteen after seven.
> 
> Numbers 4 and 7 look OK to me. For number 2, I think Americans use "past" regularly but not as often as "after". In number 4, the difference is mainly that if it's 15 minutes, we say "quarter" after. Same for 5, 6, and 7.
> 
> However, in #5, you might state the number of minutes if you're stressing, for example, that someone is late or that it's time to leave.


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## xiaoen

I got more confused because I have received two different answers from two native Americans:

bennymix says:
4. It’s fifteen past seven.  AmE
4. It’s fifteen past seven.  AmE

RedwoodGrove says:
4. It’s fifteen past seven.  AmE
4. It’s fifteen past seven.  AmE

Now which one should I follow?


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## bennymix

I did not say that.  I said that fifteen doesn't work, but 'twenty' does.

Redwood seems OK with 'fifteen past seven'.


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## RedwoodGrove

I don't think I super-endorsed them. I said they are OK in some context.


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## RM1(SS)

xiaoen said:


> Thank you. How about these in the US:
> 
> It's ten *of *three. => 2:50
> It's six minutes *of* three. => 2:54
> 
> Can I use "of" in the above two examples in the US?



I wouldn't use either of those.  I'd say either it's "ten to three" or it's "ten of."



RedwoodGrove said:


> 1. It’s a quarter after seven. AmE
> 2. It’s a quarter past seven. BrE ====> Is this also used in the US? or it's just British?
> 3. It’s seven fifteen.  AmE & BrE
> 4. It’s fifteen past seven.
> 5. It’s fifteen minutes past seven. BrE ===> This looks like #4, so why is #4 wrong when #5 is correct?
> 6. It’s fifteen minutes after seven. AmE ===> This looks like #7, so why is #7 wrong when #6 is correct?
> 7. It’s fifteen after seven.



Only the first three sound right to me.


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## xiaoen

Hello members,
I have another question of native Americans. I looked at the above previous (similar) threads but couldn't find comprehensive explanation about the usage of "before" in American time.
Please tell me that in what time formats do you use "*before*" in the US?

It's five before seven.
It's ten before seven.
It's a quarter before seven.
It's fifteen before seven.
it's twenty before seven.
etc.

When do you usually use "before" in these contexts?


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## bennymix

Most of those don't sound very good to this AE speaker.   'To' instead of 'before' works in all cases you've given.



xiaoen said:


> Hello members,
> I have another question of native Americans. I looked at the above previous (similar) threads but couldn't find comprehensive explanation about the usage of "before" in American time.
> Please tell me that in what time formats do you use "*before*" in the US?
> 
> It's five before seven.
> It's ten before seven.
> It's a quarter before seven.
> It's fifteen before seven.
> it's twenty before seven.
> etc.
> 
> When do you usually use "before" in these contexts?


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## xiaoen

Thank you.


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## heypresto

And, for what it's worth, it would only be 'to' in BE too. Except we wouldn't say 'It's fifteen to seven."


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## xiaoen

Thank you so much. Excuse me I have 3 other questions of Americans written in blue:

*7:10*
It’s ten after seven. *AmE*
It’s ten past seven. *BrE *===> Is this also used in the US?
It’s seven ten. *BrE *===> Is this also used in the US?
It's ten minutes past two. *BrE *===> Is this also used in the US?


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## GreenWhiteBlue

xiaoen said:


> Thank you so much. Excuse me I have 3 other questions of Americans written in blue:
> 
> *7:10*
> It’s ten past seven. *BrE *===> Is this also used in the US?


Yes.  



> It’s seven ten. *BrE *===> Is this also used in the US?


Yes.  I will add that if I were describing a train on a train schedule, this is the phrasing I would use.  (For example, _I need to be at work tomorrow by eight o'clock, so that means I have to take* the seven ten*_.)



> It's ten minutes past *two*. *BrE *===> Is this also used in the US?


Yes, but only for *2*:10, and not for *7*:10!


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## xiaoen

Thank you.

7:10
It's ten minutes *past* seven. ==> I think in the US it's OK to use "after" instead of "past" in here. Yes?

I mean ==> It's ten minutes *after* seven. (*AmE*) 7:10

Am I right?


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## GreenWhiteBlue

This was already answered in #24 above, and the answer has not changed overnight: an American might say either "It's ten minutes *past* seven" or "It's ten minutes *after* seven", although I cannot tell you which is more common.  And yes, I am sure about that, and no, I will not give you another answer if you ask me anyway if I am sure about that.


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## xiaoen

Thank you. Another question about "*7:55*". According to post #33 as what bennymix said sentence number 2 is unnatural with "before" in the US. Right?

*7:55*

1. It’s five to eight. *AmE & BrE*
2. It’s five before eight. 
3. It’s seven fifty-five. *AmE & BrE 
*
Am I right?


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## Glenfarclas

xiaoen said:


> Another question...



I think it's "time" to let this go, don't you?


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## xiaoen

Glenfarclas said:


> I think it's "time" to let this go, don't you?


Excuse me I didn't understand you. What do you mean?


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## Glenfarclas

Well, you've asked the same basic question a dozen different times and five dozen different ways.  If I were you, I'd be pretty happy with the answers I'd gotten.

_Can I say "It's twelve past seven"? What about thirteen, can I say "It's thirteen past seven"?  Or what about with fourteen, after, and six; can I say "It's fourteen after six?"  Or with eight, what about "It's fourteen after eight?"  Or...._​


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## xiaoen

Glenfarclas said:


> Well, you've asked the same basic question a dozen different times and five dozen different ways.  If I were you, I'd be pretty happy with the answers I'd gotten.
> 
> _Can I say "It's twelve past seven"? What about thirteen, can I say "It's thirteen past seven"?  Or what about with fourteen, after, and six; can I say "It's fourteen after six?"  Or with eight, what about "It's fourteen after eight?"  Or...._​


I have asked these three:
*7:55
7:10
7:15
These are not the same formats (not the same question). Sometime there are different ways of expressing times.*


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## DonnyB

xiaoen said:


> *These are not the same formats (not the same question). Sometime there are different ways of expressing times.*


You've neatly hit the nail on the head there.  

Differences between AE and BE aside, there are several different ways of telling the time depending on the context (for example whether a stranger asks you in the street what time it is, or whether you're asking the booking clerk at a railway station what time your train leaves).

Without wishing to sound in any way unhelpful, it's a little bit beyond the scope of the forum to do a complete tutorial on all the various different ways we have in English of telling the time.


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## Glenfarclas

xiaoen said:


> I have asked these three:
> *7:55
> 7:10
> 7:15*



Well, plus these nine:
*2:40
2:45
2:50
2:54
0:05
6:55
6:50
6:45
6:40*


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## xiaoen

Excuse me I am writing a catalogue about different ways of expressing the times. That's why I want to be precise by asking these.

According to post #33 as what bennymix said sentence number 2 is unnatural with "before" in the US. Right?

*7:55*

1. It’s five to eight. *AmE & BrE*
2. It’s five before eight. 
3. It’s seven fifty-five. *AmE & BrE *

Am I right?


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## heypresto

You've asked this exact question before, in post #39. And both times you answer it yourself by saying "bennymix said sentence number 2 is unnatural with "before" in the US."

If you're _still_ in any doubt, re-read bennymix's post #32.


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## xiaoen

OK, thank you for the confirmation. Then, I'll forget "before".

*7:38*

1. It’s twenty-two minutes to eight. AmE & BrE
2. It's seven thirty-eight. AmE & BrE

Can I also use "minutes" at the end of the blue sentence? I mean ==> It's seven thirty-eight minutes.

I think it would be wrong but not sure.


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## natkretep

Moderator note:
I have closed the thread because the original question has been answered. Nat


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