Time A.2 Reading Clocks

How to read a Clock

1. 1.Look at the short hand for the hour. On most clock faces, there are two hands, and one is longer than the other. The short hand tells you what hour it is. If the short hand is pointing right at the number 7, it's 7 o'clock. If the short hand is pointing somewhere between the number 7 and 8, that means it's somewhere between 7 and 8 o'clock. (Note that a standard analog clock won't tell you whether it's a.m. or p.m.
2. 2.Look at the long hand for the minutes. There are twelve numbers on the clock face, and each number represents five minutes. Beginning at twelve, count five minutes for every time the long hand passes a bigger number (see the table below). If the long hand is on the 4, it is 4 x 5, or 20 minutes past the hour. Here's how many minutes past the hour each number represents, if the long hand is pointing right at it:
   • 12 = :00
   • 1 =  :05
   • 2 =  :10
   • 3 =  :15
   • 4 =  :20
   • 5 =  :25
   • 6 =  :30
   • 7 =  :35
   • 8 =  :40
   • 9 =  :45
   • 10 = :50
   • 11 = :55
3. 
   3.If you need to know the time more specifically, some clock faces have four markers between each number. Each marker signifies an additional minute. If there are no markers, look at where between the numbers the long hand is pointing. If it's it's before the halfway point, it's 6:31 or 6:32. If it's after the halfway point, it's 6:33 or 6:34.
4. 4.Look to see if there is another hand that spins around or is moving quickly, that is the seconds hand. Some clocks don't have it, and in any case, it's optional whether to read the seconds hand. If you'd like to read the seconds hand, read it like you read the minutes hand. Each of the large numbers represents 5 seconds. If the second hand is on the eight, then it's 8 x 5 or 40 seconds past the minute.
   
   

5Put all the information together. If the short hand is between 7 and 8 and the long hand is on the 4 then it is 7:20. If the third hand is on the 8, then it's 7:20 and forty seconds.

Tips:Some clocks use Roman numerals or other symbols instead of numbers. That doesn't mean you have to understand what those symbols mean; just remember that the numeral at the top is twelve, then count each numeral as a number.

Warnings:Don't confuse the long and short hands. Think of it as backwards- the short hand is the longer period of time (hour) and the long hand is the shorter period of 

time (minute).

Exercise