The Hour

There are four different ways to express the hour in English correctly which are as it follows:

Rule 1: When we have a specific hour which is on time, then we will have to apply the expression o’clock placing the hour itself before it

Examples:

• 5:00  (it’s five o’clock)
• 8:00 (it’s eight o clock)
• 12:00 (it’s twelve o clock)

Rule 2: When we find an hour which is on thirty minutes, then we will have to use the expression ”A HALF PAST” referring to the previous hour too.

Examples:

• 1:30 (it’s a half past one)
• 4:30 (it’s a half past four)
• 9:30 (it’s a half past nine)

Rules 3: When we have an hour which is before thirty minutes, then we will have to use the word “PAST” referring also to the previous hour too

Examples:

• 2:15 (it’s a quarter past two)
• 10:10 (it’s ten past ten)
• 5:05 (it´s five past five)

Rule 4: Finally, when we have some minutes missing for the next hour, it means after 30 minutes, then we will have to apply the preposition “TO” referring to the next hour too.

Examples:

• 4:40 (it’s twenty to five)
• 8:50 (it’s ten to nine)
• 7:45 (it’s a quarter to eight)

Note: As we can see, we will have to say the expression “it’s” before every hour that we say