Time and the calendar · Usually met around P1
Reading a clock
Long hand on 12: o'clock. On 6: half past.
How to do it
Method
Long hand on 12: o'clock. On 6: half past
Long hand on 6, short hand past 7 → half past 7
Another way
Think ahead
8 o'clock is half an hour away → half past 7
In full
Look at the long hand first: on 12 it's o'clock; on 6 it's half past. Then the short hand: at o'clock it points straight at the hour, so on 3 it's 3 o'clock. At half past, the short hand is halfway between two numbers, and the hour is the one it has just passed: between 7 and 8 it's half past 7, not half past 8. Or think ahead: the short hand only reaches 8 in half an hour, so it's still half past 7.
Worked examples
Have a go first, then open each one for the answer and the working.
Example 1
? o'clock
Show the answer and working
Answer: 9 o'clock
The long hand on 12 means o'clock, and the short hand is on 9: 9 o'clock
Example 2
? o'clock
Show the answer and working
Answer: 5 o'clock
The long hand on 12 means o'clock, and the short hand is on 5: 5 o'clock
Example 3
? o'clock
Show the answer and working
Answer: 1 o'clock
The long hand on 12 means o'clock, and the short hand is on 1: 1 o'clock
Practise it in the game →Time and the calendar · Free to start, unlimited questions, no download