How to tell the time in English

Note: A 12-hour time-telling system was used for numerical purposes in this section. In a 12-hour system, used in the United States and the UK, among other places, we distinguish between AM and PM times. We use AM for the first twelve hours of the day, then begin the 12-hour count again using PM for the second half of the day. Therefore, 1:00 PM in the 12-hour system corresponds to 13:00hr in the 24-hour system, 4:00 PM to 16:00hr, etc. Just like in any language, the task of telling time in English has its peculiarities and irregularities. Hopefully we can clear up any confusion about those irregularities in this section. As the video states, we use the word o’clock, which is really a contraction of the phrase of the clock, to describe any time which is a full hour. 4:00 – It is four o’clock. 7:00 – It is seven o’clock. For times that fall between x:00 and x:30, we use the word past. 4:14 – It is fourteen past four. 9:19 – It is nineteen past nine. 5:15 – It is a quarter past five. 1:30 – It is half past