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ESL forum > Ask for help > TELLING THE TIME IN AMERICAN ENGLISH    

TELLING THE TIME IN AMERICAN ENGLISH



monder78
Poland

TELLING THE TIME IN AMERICAN ENGLISH
 
Hello I am familiar with the way British people tell the time. I know there are a few differences as regards the topic. I �d like to learn how the following hours are read in colloquial American English. do you also use a.m. i p.m. 3.00 o �clock 3.12 3.15 3.30 3.45 3.55 I know that sometimes Americans say hundred in hours but in what cases they do it ? THX a million

1 Jul 2013      





ueslteacher
Ukraine

5 one, two, three, etc. hundred hours used to express whole hours in the 24-hour systemtwelve hundred hours (= 12.00, midday) (btw it �s not exclusively American)

1 Jul 2013     



yanogator
United States

The "hundred hours" way of telling time is mostly used by the military, but also anywhere a 24-hour clock is used.

In the US, we use a colon instead of a decimal point.   3:12, not 3.12.
 
Yes, we usually use am and pm.
 
Here are your examples:
3:00   three o �clock
3:12   three twelve, or 12 after three (or sometimes 12 past three)
3:15   three fifteen, a quarter after three, a quarter past three
3:30   three thirty, half past three
3:45   three forty-five, a quarter to four, a quarter till four, a quarter of four
3:55   three fifty-five, five to four, five till four
 
I hope this helps you.
 
Bruce

1 Jul 2013     



Jayho
Australia

The "hundred hours" way of telling time is also used in hospitals
 
Cheers
 
Jayho

1 Jul 2013     



dutchboydvh
Singapore

In the USA the use of �hundred hours � is called Military time. As in 14 hundred hours = 2:00 pm. They use it here in Singapore as well... I come across it every time I book a flight. I struggle with it, but my rule of thumb is basically once you get past 12 hundred hours (12 noon), you subtract 12 from the time and that will give you your normal time. So, 15 hundred hours, minus 12 equals 3. So it �s 3:00 PM.

1 Jul 2013     



monder78
Poland

Very helpful , I appreciate your help. Once again thank you

2 Jul 2013     



Peter Hardy
Australia

Remember good old Einstein �s quotes: �Time is an illusion.� And "The only reason for time is so that everything doesn �t happen at once." Not really helpful, I know, but funny, don �t you think?

2 Jul 2013