Step-by-step Maths Level 2 Time: check-up and practice test questions

Method. When the long hand points to 6, it is half past the hour.

1. Look at the long hand. It points to 6, which means half past.
   long hand on 6
2. Look at the short hand. It has passed 6 and is almost at seven.
   short hand between 6 and 7
3. Write the time. Say half past the hour that has just passed.
   half past six

Check. The time is 6:30 in digital form.

Watch out. Half past the hour uses the hour that has just passed, not the next hour.

Method. Digital time shows the hour, then a colon, then the minutes.

1. Write the hour. The hour is the number before the colon.
   4
2. Write the minutes. O'clock means zero minutes, so the minutes are 00.
   00
3. Write the time.
   4:00

Check. Read 4:00 aloud: four and zero zero minutes.

Watch out. Always write two digits for the minutes, like 9:05 and 9:30.

Method. Morning comes first, then the afternoon. Put the mornings in order, then the afternoons.

1. Sort the mornings. Earlier mornings come first.
   8 o'clock, 9 o'clock
2. Add the afternoons after the mornings. Afternoon comes after the morning.
   1 o'clock
3. Write the order.
   8 o'clock in the morning, 9 o'clock in the morning, 1 o'clock in the afternoon

Check. Read the list again. Each time is later than the one before.

Watch out. Check the period first: 9 o'clock in the morning comes before 1 o'clock in the afternoon.

Method. Digital time shows the hour, then a colon, then the minutes.

1. Write the hour. The hour is the number before the colon.
   10
2. Write the minutes. Half past means 30 minutes after the hour, so the minutes are 30.
   30
3. Write the time.
   10:30

Check. Read 10:30 aloud: ten and thirty minutes.

Watch out. Always write two digits for the minutes, like 9:05 and 9:30.

Method. The months of the year go in order from January to December.

1. Find the month in the list. The months go in order through the year.
   December
2. Use the list to find the answer. Move along the list the right way.
   January
3. Write the answer.
   January

Check. The months are January to December, in that order.

Watch out. The months are in order: January, February, March, April and so on.

Method. Find the time one hour after the first time. It is halfway to the second time.

1. Start at ten o'clock. The first time is the start.
   10:00
2. Move one hour on. One hour later is halfway to the second time.
   ten o'clock + 1 hour = eleven o'clock
3. Write the time between. It is between 10 and 12.
   eleven o'clock

Check. 11 is one hour after 10 and one hour before 12.

Watch out. Between means after the first time and before the second.

Method. Think about how far the long hand has gone round the clock.

1. Think about the minutes. At o'clock the long hand points straight up to 12.
   0 minutes
2. Find the number on the clock face. Count round the numbers on the face.
   12
3. Write the answer.
   12

Check. 12 is where the long hand points for this time.

Watch out. Half past: the long hand is on 6. O'clock: the long hand is on 12.

Method. The short hand shows the hour. The long hand points to 12 at o'clock.

1. Look at the long hand. It points straight up to 12, so there are no minutes.
   long hand on 12
2. Look at the short hand. It points to the 5, so the hour is 5.
   short hand on 5
3. Write the time.
   five o'clock

Check. 5:00 is the digital form of this time.

Watch out. When the long hand points to 12, the time is an o'clock time.

Method. Say the days of the week in order: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

1. Find Friday. Find the day in the list.
   Friday
2. Move one step back. The day before is one step back.
   Thursday
3. Write the answer.
   Thursday

Check. The days of the week in order are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

Watch out. The week goes from Monday to Sunday. Sunday comes before Monday.

Method. Find the time one hour after the first time. It is halfway to the second time.

1. Start at six o'clock. The first time is the start.
   6:00
2. Move one hour on. One hour later is halfway to the second time.
   six o'clock + 1 hour = seven o'clock
3. Write the time between. It is between 6 and 8.
   seven o'clock

Check. 7 is one hour after 6 and one hour before 8.

Watch out. Between means after the first time and before the second.

Method. Digital time shows the hour, then a colon, then the minutes.

1. Write the hour. The hour is the number before the colon.
   3
2. Write the minutes. O'clock means zero minutes, so the minutes are 00.
   00
3. Write the time.
   3:00

Check. Read 3:00 aloud: three and zero zero minutes.

Watch out. Always write two digits for the minutes, like 9:05 and 9:30.

Method. Change the hour by one. Keep the minutes the same.

1. Start at three o'clock. This is the time we begin with.
   3:00
2. Change the hour by one. One hour later means moving the hour hand on by one number.
   three o'clock goes to four o'clock
3. Write the new time. The minutes stay at 00.
   four o'clock

Check. One hour after four o'clock gives three o'clock again.

Watch out. Going back one hour from 1 o'clock gives 12 o'clock.

Method. Digital time shows the hour, then a colon, then the minutes.

1. Write the hour. The hour is the number before the colon.
   10
2. Write the minutes. O'clock means zero minutes, so the minutes are 00.
   00
3. Write the time.
   10:00

Check. Read 10:00 aloud: ten and zero zero minutes.

Watch out. Always write two digits for the minutes, like 9:05 and 9:30.

Method. Digital time shows the hour, then a colon, then the minutes.

1. Write the hour. The hour is the number before the colon.
   11
2. Write the minutes. Half past means 30 minutes after the hour, so the minutes are 30.
   30
3. Write the time.
   11:30

Check. Read 11:30 aloud: eleven and thirty minutes.

Watch out. Always write two digits for the minutes, like 9:05 and 9:30.

Method. Read the hour first. Then say whether it is o'clock or half past.

1. Read the hour. The number before the colon is the hour.
   3
2. Read the minutes. 30 means half past. 00 means o'clock.
   00
3. Write the time in words.
   three o'clock

Check. The digital time 3:00 matches three o'clock.

Watch out. Half past is 30 minutes. o'clock is 00 minutes.

Method. When the long hand points to 6, it is half past the hour.

1. Look at the long hand. It points to 6, which means half past.
   long hand on 6
2. Look at the short hand. It has passed 1 and is almost at two.
   short hand between 1 and 2
3. Write the time. Say half past the hour that has just passed.
   half past one

Check. The time is 1:30 in digital form.

Watch out. Half past the hour uses the hour that has just passed, not the next hour.

Method. Digital time shows the hour, then a colon, then the minutes.

1. Write the hour. The hour is the number before the colon.
   2
2. Write the minutes. Half past means 30 minutes after the hour, so the minutes are 30.
   30
3. Write the time.
   2:30

Check. Read 2:30 aloud: two and thirty minutes.

Watch out. Always write two digits for the minutes, like 9:05 and 9:30.

Method. Think about how far the long hand has gone round the clock.

1. Think about the minutes. Half an hour is half way round the clock, to the 6.
   30 minutes
2. Find the number on the clock face. Count round the numbers on the face.
   6
3. Write the answer.
   6

Check. 6 is where the long hand points for this time.

Watch out. Half past: the long hand is on 6. O'clock: the long hand is on 12.

Method. Morning comes first, then the afternoon. Put the mornings in order, then the afternoons.

1. Sort the mornings. Earlier mornings come first.
   9 o'clock
2. Add the afternoons after the mornings. Afternoon comes after the morning.
   1 o'clock, 5 o'clock
3. Write the order.
   9 o'clock in the morning, 1 o'clock in the afternoon, 5 o'clock in the afternoon

Check. Read the list again. Each time is later than the one before.

Watch out. Check the period first: 9 o'clock in the morning comes before 1 o'clock in the afternoon.

Method. When the long hand points to 6, it is half past the hour.

1. Look at the long hand. It points to 6, which means half past.
   long hand on 6
2. Look at the short hand. It has passed 9 and is almost at ten.
   short hand between 9 and 10
3. Write the time. Say half past the hour that has just passed.
   half past nine

Check. The time is 9:30 in digital form.

Watch out. Half past the hour uses the hour that has just passed, not the next hour.