Telling the Time

Lesson 4

Main Conversation

Characters: Emma (student), Jake (friend), Sarah (teacher)

Setting: In a classroom before the lesson starts

Important Vocabulary

• What time: Asking for the time of day.
  Example: What time is lunch?
• Eight thirty: 8:30 – Half past eight.
  Example: The meeting is at eight thirty.
• Nine o’clock: 9:00 sharp.
  Example: The train leaves at nine o’clock.
• Telling the time: Saying what time it is.
  Example: We are learning about telling the time in class.
• Confused: Not sure or not clear.
  Example: I was confused about the schedule.

Grammar Notes

• It’s [time] – This is how we say the current time in English.
  Example: It’s eight thirty. / It’s nine o’clock.
• Past vs. O’clock
  O’clock is used for exact hours (e.g., 8:00 = eight o’clock).
  Thirty or half past is used for 30 minutes after an hour (e.g., 8:30 = eight thirty or half past eight).
• Question format: "What time is it?" – Very common and useful structure to ask the time.

Exercises

🧠 Comprehension

1. What time does the class start?
2. Why is Emma early?
3. Who is the teacher?

🗣️ Speaking Practice

• Practice with a partner: Ask and answer “What time is it?” using different times (e.g., 7:15, 12:00, 5:45).
• Role-play the conversation above with a friend or your teacher.

✍️ Writing Practice

• Write five sentences about your daily schedule. Use the structure “At [time], I [activity].”
• Example: At seven o’clock, I eat breakfast.

🔁 Sentence Rewriting

• Rewrite this sentence with a different time: “It’s eight thirty.” → It’s six fifteen.
• Change this question: “What time is the class?” → What time is dinner?

Additional Tips

• Practice saying the time aloud. Pronunciation is key!
• Use a clock or phone to ask yourself “What time is it?” several times a day.
• Avoid saying “eight hour” — the correct way is “eight o’clock.”
• Learn to tell time in both digital and analog formats.

Keep practicing telling the time every day — it's one of the most useful English skills!