Telling the Time, Days, Months, Seasons, Dates, Prepositions of time (in, on, at)

Telling the Time

What is the time? OR What time is it? There are two common ways of telling the time in English. The first one is, 7.20 The second one is, Use « o’clock» only at the full hour. e.g. Seven o’clock twelve o’clock In ordinary speech, the twelve- hour clock is used. e.g. 18.30 twenty past seven seven twenty half past six

When we want to point out whether we mean a time before 12 o’clock or after, we can use in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening, at night e.g. It’s two o’clock in the afternoon. It’s quarter past ten at night. a.m (ante meridiem) and p.m (post meridiem) are used to point out a time before noon or after. This is formal way of telling the time. e.g. 22.00 03.00 It’s ten p.m. It’s three a.m.

When we want to be accurate at other «odd» times, we add the word «minute(s)» e.g. 11.28 15.01 It’s twenty eight minutes past eleven. It’s one minute past three.

Practice

1. What day is it today. It is Tuesday. 2. What day is it tomorrow 1. What day is it today? It is Tuesday. 2. What day is it tomorrow? It is Wednesday. 3. What is the day after tomorrow? It is Thursday.

MONTHS OF THE YEAR

Months

1. What is the first month? It is January. 2. What is the seventh month? ………………………… 3. What is the last month? 4. What is the third month? 5. What is the eleventh month? 6. What is the fifth month? ………………………..

Seasons

Be Careful!!! The names of days and months always begin with a CAPITAL letter but seasons do not. The first month of the year is January. My English class is on Wednesday. My birthday is in June. We usually go on holiday in summer.

Practice Which season is cold? Which month is the hottest in your town? Which months are the coldest ones in Turkey? Which season do you like most? Which season is warm?

Dates Use an ordinal number to talk about dates. We write the dates as, 15 June OR 15th June But we read as, the fifteenth of June June the fifteenth 1980 = 19 / 80 = nineteen / eighty

Prepositions of time (in, on, at) We use in, on or at to give a certain time on talking about specific events.

IN Before months, seasons, years and centuries in August, in December, … in the spring, in summer, … in 2011, in 1832, … in the 16th century, … Before expressions such as: in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening, in the day, in an hour, in three weeks, in a month, etc.

ON Before days: on Sunday, on Thursday, on Friday, etc. Before certain dates: on 14th November, on 1st March, on 23rd April, on 22nd September, etc.

AT Before hours: at 10.30, at 4 o’clock, at 7 p.m, etc. Before holidays: at the weekend, at Easter, at Christmas, etc. Before the meals: at breakfast, at lunch, at dinner.

on Wednesday afternoon, Be Careful!!! in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening but on Sunday morning, on Wednesday afternoon, on Monday evening, etc. in the day on a cold day, on a rainy day, etc. on weekdays at the weekend at noon, at night, at midnight

I usually get up at 7 o’clock in the morning. I get up late on Sunday mornings. I like walking on a rainy day. My father goes to work on weekdays. We tidy our rooms at the weekend. My sister always goes to bed at midnight. There is a meeting at noon.

We always go on holiday in August. I go skiing in winter. My father was born in 1970. Shakespeare lived in the 16th century. Our History class is on Friday. My birthday is on 23rd April. I always visit my granny at Christmas. Shall we meet at lunch?

Be Careful!!! We do not normally use in, on or at before this / that / every / next / last. e.g. We are having a party next Friday. We go on holiday every summer. I have final exams this month. (We are having a party on next Friday.) (We go on holiday in every summer.) (I have final exams in this month.)

What time is the meeting? It (the meeting) is at 2 o’clock. When is your appointment at the doctor’s? It (My appointment) is on Tuesday. OR It (My appointment) is at 10 a.m. When is your IT class? It (My IT class) is at 10.30 on Monday.

Fill in the blanks using in, on, at or --- She was born …… 16th October. They go out ….. every Tuesday. My lessons start ….. 9 a.m. I will be there ….. an hour. Uşak is very beautiful …. spring. Let’s meet ….. Friday night. Their English class is …. Saturday. We go on a picnic … the weekend. There is a good movie ….. Sunday evening. I saw our teacher …. last Monday.

Fill in the blanks using in, on, at The film is …… 10.30 tonight. My birthday is …. December. My swimming lessons are ….. Mondays and Thursdays. My favourite movie is …. 11.30 …… Saturday night. There is a concert …. Friday. The next train to Izmir is ….. 3 p.m. I will meet my friends ……the evening. Atatürk founded the Turkish Republic …29th October. 1923. My best friend was born …. 1983. World War I was …. the 20th century.

References Hutchinson T. (2012) English For Life. Oxford University Press. Davis F. & Rimmer W. (2012) Active Grammar. Cambridge University Press. Ozcan F. (2007) Start Up. Nüans Yayınevi Puchta H. & Stranks J. (2012) Mind Your English. Cambridge University Press. http://www.enchantedlearning.com/Home.html http://www.learnenglish.be/