For: Year 3 to Year 6 | Exams: KS2 SATs and 11+ | Calculator: not allowed
Jump to: Read a clock in 3 steps · Level 1 – SATs core · Level 2 – SATs stretch · Level 3 – 11+ standard · Level 4 – 11+ selective
📌 KEY FACTS TO KNOW BY HEART
The hands: the short hand is the hour hand. The long hand is the minute hand.
Counting in fives: each number is worth 5 minutes for the minute hand. 1 = 5 minutes, 3 = 15 minutes (quarter past), 6 = 30 minutes (half past), 9 = 45 minutes (quarter to).
Time facts: 60 seconds = 1 minute · 60 minutes = 1 hour · 24 hours = 1 day
am and pm: am runs from midnight to just before midday. pm runs from midday to just before midnight.
24-hour clock: always use 4 digits (7:05 am = 07:05). For pm times add 12 to the hour (3:15 pm = 15:15). Midday is 12:00. In the hour after midnight the hour is 00 (12:30 am = 00:30).
Read a clock in 3 steps
✏️ MADE EASY: What time does this clock show?
Step 1 – the hour hand: find the short hand. Say the number it has just passed. Here it is just past 4, so the hour is 4.
Step 2 – the minute hand: find the long hand. Count in fives from the 12: 5, 10, 15, 20. It points at the 4, so that is 20 minutes. For the small marks in between, count on in ones.
Step 3 – say the time: the time is 4:20, or 20 past 4. If the minute hand is on the left-hand side of the clock, you can also say how many minutes it is to the next hour.
Common mistake: at 4:50 the hour hand is nearly on the 5, but the time is still 4:50 (10 to 5). The hour is the number the hour hand has just passed.
🎬 Watch first: this short video explains the 12-hour and 24-hour clock.
Level 1 – SATs core: o’clock, half past, quarter past and to, and 5-minute times
Matches the KS2 SATs arithmetic and the easier reasoning questions.
✏️ WORKED EXAMPLE: What time does this clock show? Write it in digits and in words.
Step 1: the hour hand has passed 7 but not reached 8, so the hour is 7
Step 2: the minute hand points at the 9. Count in fives: 9 × 5 = 45 minutes
Step 3: the time is 7:45. There are 15 minutes left until 8, so it is quarter to 8.
Common mistake: saying “quarter to 7”. “To” always means to the next hour, so 7:45 is quarter to 8.
Your turn
Q1.1 What time does this clock show?
Show answer
The minute hand is on the 12 and the hour hand is on the 3: 3 o’clock (3:00)
Q1.2 What time does this clock show?
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The minute hand is on the 6 (30 minutes) and the hour hand is between 9 and 10: half past 9 (9:30)
Q1.3 What time does this clock show?
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The minute hand is on the 3 (15 minutes) and the hour hand is just past 2: quarter past 2 (2:15)
Q1.4 What time does this clock show? Write it in digits and say how many minutes it is to the next hour.
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The minute hand is on the 8: 8 × 5 = 40 minutes. The hour hand is between 11 and 12. So 11:40, which is 20 to 12
Q1.5 Write “quarter to 6” as a digital time.
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Quarter to 6 is 15 minutes before 6:00: 5:45
Q1.6 Write 8:25 in words.
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Twenty-five past eight
Q1.7 Write “10 to 3” as a digital time.
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10 minutes before 3:00 is 2:50
Q1.8 The minute hand points at the 8. How many minutes past the hour is it?
Show answer
Count in fives: 8 × 5 = 40 minutes
Q1.9 A clock shows 6:55. What time will it show 10 minutes later?
Show answer
6:55 + 5 minutes = 7:00, then + 5 more minutes = 7:05
Q1.10 How many minutes are there in 3 hours?
Show answer
3 × 60 = 180 minutes
Level 2 – SATs stretch: am, pm and the 24-hour clock
Matches the harder questions in SATs Papers 2 and 3 (reasoning).
✏️ WORKED EXAMPLE: Write 7:45 pm and 12:20 am as 24-hour clock times.
Step 1: 7:45 pm is after midday, so add 12 to the hour: 7 + 12 = 19. So 7:45 pm = 19:45
Step 2: 12:20 am is 20 minutes after midnight. In the hour after midnight the hour is 00. So 12:20 am = 00:20
Common mistake: writing 12:20 am as 12:20. On the 24-hour clock, 12:20 means 20 minutes past midday.
Your turn
Q2.1 Write 3:30 pm as a 24-hour clock time.
Show answer
pm, so add 12: 3 + 12 = 15. 15:30
Q2.2 Write 9:05 am as a 24-hour clock time.
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am, so the hour stays the same. Use 4 digits: 09:05
Q2.3 Write 18:40 as a 12-hour clock time. Use am or pm.
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18 − 12 = 6, and it is after midday: 6:40 pm
Q2.4 Write 00:45 as a 12-hour clock time. Use am or pm.
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00 is the hour after midnight, which is 12 on a 12-hour clock: 12:45 am
Q2.5 Write 12:10 pm as a 24-hour clock time.
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12:10 pm is 10 minutes after midday. The midday hour stays as 12: 12:10
Q2.6 Write 23:59 as a 12-hour clock time. Use am or pm.
Show answer
23 − 12 = 11, and it is after midday: 11:59 pm
Q2.7 This clock shows a time in the evening. Write the time on the 24-hour clock.
Show answer
The clock shows 5:10. It is evening, so it is pm: 5 + 12 = 17. 17:10
Q2.8 Put these times in order, earliest first: 14:20, 9:15 am, 2:05 pm, 08:50
Show answer
Change them all to the 24-hour clock: 14:20, 09:15, 14:05, 08:50. Order: 08:50, 9:15 am, 2:05 pm, 14:20
Q2.9 A TV programme starts at 19:15 and lasts 45 minutes. At what time does it finish? Give your answer on the 12-hour clock.
Show answer
19:15 + 45 minutes = 20:00. 20 − 12 = 8, so 8:00 pm
Q2.10 Which time is later, 21:30 or 9:15 pm?
Show answer
9:15 pm = 21:15, which is earlier than 21:30. So 21:30 is later.
Level 3 – 11+ standard: reading to the minute and working out how long
Typical of grammar-school 11+ papers. Count on through the hour instead of subtracting.
✏️ WORKED EXAMPLE: This clock shows the time a football match started in the afternoon. The match finished at 16:15. How long did it last?
Step 1 – read the clock: the minute hand is 2 small marks past the 7. 7 × 5 = 35, and 35 + 2 = 37 minutes. The hour hand is between 2 and 3, so the time is 2:37 pm = 14:37
Step 2 – count on to the next hour: 14:37 → 15:00 is 23 minutes
Step 3 – count on in hours, then minutes: 15:00 → 16:00 is 1 hour, and 16:00 → 16:15 is 15 minutes
Step 4 – add: 1 hour + 23 minutes + 15 minutes = 1 hour 38 minutes
Common mistake: working out 16.15 − 14.37 = 1.78 and saying 1 hour 78 minutes. An hour has 60 minutes, not 100, so count on instead.
Your turn
Q3.1 What time does this clock show?
Show answer
The minute hand is 2 small marks past the 10: 50 + 2 = 52 minutes. The hour hand is nearly on 9 but has not reached it. 8:52 (8 minutes to 9)
Q3.2 What time does this clock show?
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The minute hand is 3 small marks past the 4: 20 + 3 = 23 minutes. The hour hand is just past 1. 1:23
Q3.3 What time does this clock show?
Show answer
The minute hand is 3 small marks past the 1: 5 + 3 = 8 minutes. The hour hand is just past 10. 10:08
Q3.4 How long is it from 09:48 to 11:15?
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09:48 → 10:00 is 12 minutes, 10:00 → 11:00 is 1 hour, 11:00 → 11:15 is 15 minutes. Total: 1 hour 27 minutes
Q3.5 A cake goes in the oven at 4:35 pm and bakes for 1 hour 50 minutes. At what time should it come out? Give your answer on the 24-hour clock.
Show answer
4:35 pm = 16:35. 16:35 + 1 hour = 17:35. 17:35 + 50 minutes = 18:25
Q3.6 A coach leaves at 22:40 and arrives at 01:15 the next morning. How long is the journey?
Show answer
22:40 → 23:00 is 20 minutes, 23:00 → 01:00 is 2 hours, 01:00 → 01:15 is 15 minutes. Total: 2 hours 35 minutes
Q3.7 A film is 135 minutes long. It starts at 18:50. At what time does it end? Give your answer on the 12-hour clock.
Show answer
135 minutes = 2 hours 15 minutes. 18:50 + 2 hours = 20:50. 20:50 + 15 minutes = 21:05, which is 9:05 pm
Q3.8 Sam goes to bed at 8:45 pm and wakes up at 7:10 am. How long is he in bed?
Show answer
8:45 pm → 9:00 pm is 15 minutes, 9:00 pm → 7:00 am is 10 hours, 7:00 am → 7:10 am is 10 minutes. Total: 10 hours 25 minutes
Q3.9 How many seconds are there in a quarter of an hour?
Show answer
A quarter of an hour is 15 minutes. 15 × 60 = 900 seconds
Q3.10 A lesson starts at 10:45 and lasts 50 minutes. The next lesson starts 10 minutes after that and also lasts 50 minutes. At what time does the second lesson end?
Show answer
First lesson ends: 10:45 + 50 minutes = 11:35. Second lesson starts at 11:45 and ends at 11:45 + 50 minutes = 12:35
Level 4 – 11+ selective: clock puzzles, angles and mirror times
The style of selective independent-school papers. A full turn is 360°, so each hour on the clock face is 360 ÷ 12 = 30°.
✏️ WORKED EXAMPLE: What is the angle between the hour hand and the minute hand at 4:30?
Step 1 – the minute hand: at 30 minutes it points at the 6, which is 6 × 30° = 180° from the 12
Step 2 – the hour hand: it moves 30° every hour, so at 4:30 it has moved 4½ hours: 4.5 × 30° = 135° from the 12
Step 3 – find the difference: 180° − 135° = 45°
Common mistake: thinking the hour hand points exactly at the 4 and getting 60°. The hour hand moves too: halfway through the hour it is halfway between the numbers.
Your turn
Q4.1 What is the angle between the hands at 3:00?
Show answer
The hands point at the 12 and the 3. That is 3 × 30° = 90°
Q4.2 What is the smaller angle between the hands at 8:00?
Show answer
From the 12 to the 8 clockwise is 8 × 30° = 240°. The smaller angle is 360° − 240° = 120°
Q4.3 What is the angle between the hands at 2:20?
Show answer
Minute hand: 20 minutes is the 4, so 4 × 30° = 120°. Hour hand: 2⅓ hours × 30° = 70°. Difference: 120° − 70° = 50°
Q4.4 How many degrees does the minute hand turn in 25 minutes?
Show answer
The minute hand turns 360° in 60 minutes, which is 6° every minute. 25 × 6° = 150°
Q4.5 How many degrees does the hour hand turn between 1:00 pm and 5:30 pm?
Show answer
That is 4½ hours. 4.5 × 30° = 135°
Q4.6 The angle between the hands at 6:00 is 180°. What is the angle between the hands at 6:15?
Show answer
Minute hand: on the 3, which is 90°. Hour hand: 6¼ hours × 30° = 187.5°. Difference: 187.5° − 90° = 97.5°, so it is a little more than a right angle.
Q4.7 Ella looks at a clock in a mirror. It seems to show 2:45. What is the real time?
Show answer
A mirror swaps left and right, so the real time and the mirror time add up to 12:00. 12:00 − 2:45 = 9:15. Check: at 9:15 the minute hand is on the 3, which looks like the 9 in a mirror.
Q4.8 A 24-hour digital clock shows 13:31. This reads the same forwards and backwards. What is the next time it will show that also reads the same forwards and backwards?
Show answer
The last two digits must be the first two reversed. After 13:31, the next is 14:41
Q4.9 In one whole day, how many times does a 24-hour digital clock show all four digits the same?
Show answer
00:00, 11:11 and 22:22. 33:33 is not a real time. So 3 times
Q4.10 It is 10:50 am now. What time was it 3 hours 25 minutes ago?
Show answer
10:50 − 3 hours = 7:50. 7:50 − 25 minutes = 7:25 am
More time practice: Units, money and time has timetables, slow clocks and time zones.