Grammar Hours   Saying hours in English isn´t that difficult after your learn the Cardinal Numbers.   Before we begin, it is important to know the definitions of AM/PM since it is common when using hours in English: AM: Ante Meridiem (Before midday/noon) PM: Post Meridiem (After midday)   When you want to know the hours, you may ask two questions: "What´s the time?" or "What time is it?". Do not forget to say "Thank You" after the answer.   Now, let´s study:   1) Full hours Morning     00.00            Midnight 01.00 am     One o´clock 02.00 am     Two o´clock 03.00 am     Three o´clock 04.00 am     Four o´clock  05.00 am     Five o´clock 06.00 am     Six o´clock 07.00 am     Seven o´clock 08.00 am     Eight o´clock 09.00 am     Nine o´clock 10.00 am     Ten o´clock 11.00 am     Eleven o´clock   12.00             Midday/Noon 01.00 pm     One o´clock 02.00 pm     Two o´clock 03.00 pm     Three o´clock 04.00 pm     Four o´clock  05.00 pm     Five o´clock 06.00 pm     Six o´clock 07.00 pm     Seven o´clock 08.00 pm     Eight o´clock 09.00 pm     Nine o´clock 10.00 pm     Ten o´clock 11.00 pm     Eleven o´clock           2) Formal  In the formal way, the hours are said before the minutes: 01.07 am     One "O" seven 02.10 am     Two ten 03.13 am     Three thirteen 04.15 am     Four fifteen 05.20 am     Five twenty 06.25 am     Six twenty-five 07.30 am     Seven thirty 08.35 am     Eight thirty-five 09.40 am     Nine forty 10.45 am     Ten forty-five 11.55 am     Eleven fifty-five   01.05 pm     One "O" five 02.14 pm     Two fourteen 03.17 pm     Three seventeen 04.20 pm     Four twenty 05.23 pm     Five twenty-three 06.30 pm     Six thirty 07.32 pm     Seven thirty-two 08.37 pm     Eight thirty-seven 09.45 pm     Nine forty-five 10.50 pm     Ten fifty 11.52 pm     Eleven fifty-two           Note: when speaking, you don´t have to mention "am/pm" unless it is really formal When necessary, you can say "in the morning", "in the afternoon", "in the evening" or "at night" to specify the period Examples:       02.10 am Two ten in the morning     03.30 pm Three thirty in the afternoon 06.45 pm Six forty-five in the evening 10.20 pm Ten twenty at night               3) Popular Though it sounds more difficult, it is considered to be more popular saying the minutes before the hours: 01.10 Ten (minutes) past One     02.15 Fifteen (minutes) past Two     03.20 Twenty (minutes) past Three   04.25 Twenty-five (minutes) past Four   05.30 Thirty (minutes) past Five     06.35 Twenty-five (minutes) to Seven   07.40 Twenty (minutes) to Eight     08.45 Fifteen (minutes) to Nine     09.50 Ten (minutes) to Ten     10.55 Five (minutes) to Eleven               4) Quarters and Half       This way, instead of saying the minutes, you say Quarter or Half A quarter corresponds to 15 minutes   Half corresponds to 30 minutes Then, we have:                 02.15 A quarter past Two (before 30, say "past") 04.30 Half past Four       07.45 A quarter to Eight (after 30, say "to")           5) Notes         5.1) In place of "past" it is also common to say "after" (not with "half"): 02.10 Ten after Two       03.15 A quarter after Three     05.30 Half past Five (in this case, it doesn´t change)           5.2) In place of "to" it is also common to say "before", "till" or "of" 05.40 Twenty before Six 07.55 Five till Eight       09.35 Twenty-five of Ten   Globalized English School English in English   2009 - 2010 Globalized English School  - All rights reserved