Telling the Time

Listening Level A2 15 min

What time does the next train leave? When should we meet? Telling the time is one of those skills that comes up constantly in daily life, and not getting it right can cause real confusion.

In this activity, you will learn to distinguish between the two main ways of expressing time: the digital format used in schedules and screens, and the conversational style used in everyday speech. You will also practise common time expressions that native speakers use naturally.

Through listening practice and interactive exercises, you will build the confidence to recognise and use time expressions quickly and accurately in real-world situations.

Learning Objective

You will be able to tell the time using digital and conversational formats and describe routines.

Skill Focus

Listening Comprehension (A2 Level)

Source

Enbreak Original Content

1

Exploring Time

Drag the hour or minute hand to set the time. See below the different ways to tell the time in English.

AM
English Break
What time is it?
You
It's noon.
or
It's twelve o'clock.
Thank you!
You

Examples

It's 10:45
It's 12:20
It's 7:05
It's 3:30
Tip
  • Use "It's" to say what time it is. Example: "It's eight o'clock".
  • Use "at" for plans or scheduled events. Example: "My class starts at 2:30".
2

Using 'Past' and 'To'

Learn the difference between "past" and "to" when telling time.

PAST
6:25
"It's twenty-five past six"
Use 'past' before the 30-minute mark
HALF PAST
6:30
"It's half past six"
Use 'half past' at exactly 30 minutes
TO
6:35
"It's twenty-five to seven"
Use 'to' after the 30-minute mark
Tip

The word 'quarter' indicates 15 minutes. Say 'a quarter past' for times like 3:15 and 'a quarter to' for times like 3:45.

3

Recognizing Time

Listen carefully and write the time that you hear. Use numbers only

4

Short Stories

Listen to each speaker and answer the questions.

1. What time did the speaker stop watching TV?

2. What time did the speaker go home?

3. What time did the speaker finish working?

4. What time does the speaker have lunch?

5

A Typical Day

Listen to the audio and drag the correct times into the sentences.

12:00
7:15
5:30
9:30
6:45
3:30
8:00
12:45
10:00
5:00
6:15
1. Clara wakes up at
and leaves her house at
.
2. Her first meeting begins at
and she stays at the office until
.
3. She has lunch at
.
4. In the afternoon, she works on projects until
.
5. Her workday ends at
and she gets home around
.
6. She starts cooking dinner at
and eats around
.
7. Clara goes to bed at
.
6

Your Typical Day

Write about your daily routine. Fill in 5 typical activities you do and the time you do them.

Useful vocabulary:

wake up
have a shower
have breakfast
go to work
go to school
have lunch
finish work
go to the gym
walk my dog
have dinner
watch TV
go to bed
play videogames
go online
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Tip

Read your routine aloud to practice your pronunciation.

Activity Complete!

You've completed "Telling the Time". Here's what you've practised:

Recognizing digital and analog time formats
Using "past" and "to" correctly
Listening to daily routines and schedules
Writing about your own daily schedule

Before you continue:

Try to complete the listening exercises first. Only use the transcript if you really need extra help.

Short Stories

Enbreak Original Content

Recording 1

I looked at my phone, and it was 2:05 so I stopped watching TV and went to study.

Recording 2

I was finishing some work when I noticed it was 5:45 so I saved everything and went home.

Recording 3

I wanted to work until 9:00 but I got distracted and I finished at 10:30.

Recording 4

I usually feel hungry at around 11:00 so I prefer to have my lunch break at noon.

A Typical Day

Enbreak Original Content

Hi there! My name is Clara, and I'd like to tell you about my typical day. I usually wake up at seven fifteen in the morning and start with a cup of coffee. Then, at eight o'clock, I leave my house to go to work. My first meeting begins at half past nine, and I usually stay at the office until noon. I have lunch at twelve forty-five, and after that, I sometimes go for a short walk. In the afternoon, I work on my projects until half past three, then I like to take a quick coffee break. My workday ends at five o'clock, and I usually get home around half past five. In the evening, I like to relax. I usually start cooking dinner at quarter past six, and I eat around quarter to seven. After dinner, I sometimes watch a TV show, and I try to go to bed at ten o'clock at night to get a good night's sleep. That's a typical day for me, what about you?