Telling the time
There is more than one way of saying
what the time is:
- 8.30 = “eight thirty” / “half past eight”
- 6.15 = “six fifteen” / “quarter past six”
- 10.25 = “ten twentyfive” /
“twentyfive past ten” - 11.58 = “eleven fiftyeight” /
“two minutes to twelve”
The 24-hour clock
The 24hour clock is used on bus and
train timetables and for plane depar
ture and arrival times:
- 15.30 = “fifteen thirty”
- 22.15 = “twentytwo fifteen”
Ago
We use ago to say how long before
now something has happened. It
refers to a finished time and is usually
used with a past tense:
- I last saw her three days ago.
“Since” and “for”
Since and for may be used together
with the present perfect to talk about
a period of time up to the present:
- I’ve lived in this house since 1999.
- I’ve lived in this house for 20 years.
Word order
Usually “time” goes after “place”:
- Sam has been in Munich since
Monday. - She didn’t go to school last week.
It’s also possible to put “time” at the
beginning of the sentence: - Every Monday, Jessie does sport.
Adverbs of indefinite frequency
(usually, seldom, etc.) go before the
verb, in the middle of the sentence:
- She usually has breakfast with the
children.
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