Lesson 6.3 · Measurement and Time
Telling time to the hour
Clocks tell us when to eat lunch, go to school and go to bed. Let's learn to read one!
The two hands
A clock has two hands.
- The short hand is the hour hand. It points to the hour.
- The long hand is the minute hand.
When the long hand points straight up at 12, it is exactly on the hour. We say "o'clock."
Time to the hour
When the long hand points to 12, look at the short hand. The number it points to is the hour.
Two ways to write it
3 o'clock can be written as 3:00. This is how a digital clock shows it. The number before the : is the hour. The 00 means zero minutes past the hour.
Worked example: Read the clock
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The long hand points to 12. The short hand points to 4. It is 4 o'clock, or 4:00.
Worked example: Bedtime
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The long hand points to 12. The short hand points to 8. It is 8:00.
Worked example: One hour later
It is 🕙 10:00. What time will it be in 1 hour?
The short hand moves to the next number, 11. It will be 11:00.
Common mistake
Don't mix up the hands! The short hand tells the hour. The long hand at 12 just tells you it is "o'clock."
Tip
After 12:00 comes 1:00, not 13:00. The clock starts over.
Practice
What time is it? Write it like 5:00.
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Type your answer
What time is it? Write it like 5:00.
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Which clock shows 6:00?
On a clock, which hand tells the hour?
At 12:00, both hands point to the same number. Which number?
Type a number.
It is 🕖 7:00. What time will it be in 1 hour? Write it like 5:00.
Type your answer
It is 🕛 12:00. What time will it be in 1 hour? Write it like 5:00.
Type your answer