Clock Face Learning Tool
Set a time and see it on the clock face, in words, and on a 12-hour and 24-hour clock. Or switch to the quiz and read the clock yourself.
Worked examples
A quarter to time
3:45
quarter to four
The minute hand points at 9 and the hour hand is nearly on the 4.
A time with minutes
9:35
twenty-five to ten
60 - 35 = 25 minutes to the next hour.
About Clock Face Learning Tool
Telling the time on an analogue clock is a skill that children begin in Year 1 with o'clock and half past, and finish in Year 3 or 4 with the nearest minute and the 24-hour clock. This tool shows a clock face for any time you set, with the hour hand in the right place, so it creeps round between the numbers as the minutes pass, just as it does on a real clock.
Beside the clock you see the time in words the way it is said in the UK, such as quarter to four or twenty-five past nine, and in 12-hour and 24-hour digital form. There is also a quiz: the clock is set to a random time at the level you choose, and you type the time. If you miss one you are shown the answer in words, so that you learn the phrase as well as the numbers.
How to use Clock Face Learning Tool
- Choose Set a time and type an hour and minutes, or use the buttons to move the hands on.
- Read the time in words and in digital form below the clock.
- Switch to Quiz me, pick a level and press Start.
- Type each time, such as 3:45, and check the results at the end.
Common uses
- Teaching the difference between the hour and minute hands
- Practising quarter past and quarter to
- Learning the 24-hour clock for timetables
- Revising time-telling before an assessment
Frequently asked questions
Why does the hour hand move between the numbers?
The hour hand turns once every 12 hours, which is 30 degrees an hour or half a degree a minute. At half past three it is halfway between 3 and 4.
How do you say 3:45?
It is quarter to four. For times past the half hour we count the minutes to the next hour, so 3:50 is ten to four and 3:35 is twenty-five to four.
How does the 24-hour clock work?
After 12 noon the hours keep counting, so 1 pm is 13:00 and 3:45 pm is 15:45. Midnight is 00:00. The 24-hour time always has four digits.
Can I type a time with am or pm in the quiz?
Yes. Typing 3:45 accepts either morning or afternoon, because the clock face does not show which. Typing 3:45pm checks it exactly.
What are the quiz levels?
Level 1 is o'clock only, Level 2 adds half past and quarter past or to, Level 3 uses five minute steps, and Level 4 uses any minute.