The idea, step by step
Two hands do different jobs
The short hand shows the hour. The long hand shows the minutes. At o’clock the long hand points to 12. At half past it points to 6.
The short hand moves slowly. At half past 3 it is halfway from 3 to 4.
Quarter past and quarter to
A quarter of an hour is 15 minutes. The long hand on 3 means quarter past: 4:15 is quarter past 4.
The long hand on 9 means quarter to the next hour. At 4:45, the short hand is nearly at 5, so we say quarter to 5.
A common trap
The long hand on 9 means nine o’clock.
Instead: Use the short hand for the hour. The long hand on 9 means 45 minutes past, or quarter to the next hour.
See the thinking
Half past
Read this clock.
- The long hand on 6 means half past.
- The short hand is between 7 and 8.
Nearly the next hour
Read this clock in words and numbers.
- The long hand on 9 means quarter to.
- The short hand is between 10 and 11, nearly at 11.
Check your understanding
Where does the long hand point at quarter past?
Show answer
3.
It has moved a quarter-turn from 12 to 3, which is 15 minutes.
Your turn
6 questions · Work at your own pace.
Read the questions online
- Read the clock in words.
- Read the clock in words and numbers.
- Read the clock in words and numbers.
- Read the clock in words and numbers.
- Write quarter to 3 as a digital time.
- At 8:30, is the short hand exactly at 8 or between 8 and 9? Explain.
Read the worked solutions
- Read the clock in words.
The long hand is on 12; the short hand is on 4.
4 o’clock. - Read the clock in words and numbers.
The long hand is on 6; the short hand is between 9 and 10.
Half past 9; 9:30. - Read the clock in words and numbers.
The long hand is on 3; the short hand is just past 2.
Quarter past 2; 2:15. - Read the clock in words and numbers.
The long hand is on 9; the short hand is nearly at 7.
Quarter to 7; 6:45. - Write quarter to 3 as a digital time.
It is 15 minutes before 3 o’clock.
2:45. - At 8:30, is the short hand exactly at 8 or between 8 and 9? Explain.
Half an hour has passed.
The short hand has moved halfway towards 9.
Between 8 and 9.
Curriculum reference & lesson scope
Australian Curriculum v9 / SA Curriculum 2026
Dates; days between events; hour/half-hour/quarter-hour clocks.
Official curriculum source ↗