Telling Time

Teaching time is an interactive activity for telling time. This activity helps students to learn how to read the clock to tell time using the analogue clock.

While reading or observing the time on a clock or a watch we first need to see the position of hour hand and minute hand of the clock to know the time. If the hour hand is on any number or after any number represents the number itself as the hour but if it is before the next number, the first number represents the hour.

If the minute hand is on any number or after it before the next number then the minutes = first number × 5 + small division.


Here are some examples of telling time to know the time by the clock.

(i) Hour hand is on 8 and minute hand is on 12.
So, time is 8 o’clock, i.e., 8:00

(ii) The hour hand is just after 8 but before 9 and minute hand is on 4.

So, the time is between 8 o’clock and 9 o’clock. The minute hand is on 4. So the minute hand has removed 4 × 5 = 20 small divisions, i.e., 20 minutes.

So, the time is 20 minutes past 8 or 8:20.


(iii) Here the hour hand is just after 9 and minute hand is at one division after 5.

Hour hand being after 9 indicates it is past 9 o’clock.

Minute hand being one division after five indicates minutes = 5 × 5 + 1 = 26 minutes.

So, the time is 9:26.

(iv) Here, the hour hand is between 3 and 4 and minute hand is 4 divisions after 3.

So, hour hand indicates it is past 3 o’clock and minute hand indicates 3 × 5 + 4 = 19 minutes.

Hence, time is 3:19

(v) Here, the hour hand is between 7 and 8. So, it indicates that it is past 7 o’clock.

Minute hand is 2 divisions after 11. So, it indicates 11 × 5 + 2 = 57 minutes.

Hence, time is 7:57

It is also called 3 minutes to 8, i.e., (8 - 7.57 = 0.03)

(vi) Here hour hand and minute hand both are at 12.

So, time is 12:00

(vii) So the main thing while telling time we need follow the positions of hour hand and minute hand indicate the time on the clock faces.

Related Concept

Different Ways of Reading Time


3rd Grade Math Worksheets

3rd Grade Math Lessons

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