Telling the Time (conversation +audio+explanation)

Telling the Time (conversation +audio+explanation)
The English convesation In her hotel room, Anne rings a number.
John Barbour, the private detective, answers the phone.

Listen to the convesation HERE
Transcript

John: Hello, Barbour’s Private Investigation. John Barbour speaking.

Anne: Hello. Can you find missing people?

John: Sometimes we can. Have you lost somebody?

Ann: Yes.

John: Perhaps you’d like to tell me about it?

Ann: Can I make an appointment please?

John: When would you like to come in?

Anne: Is tomorrow okay?

John: Let’s see… Yes, I can see you at ten o’clock. Will that suit you?

Anne: Okay, thank you. (consults business card)
23 Mitchell Street – is that right?

John: That’s right. Second floor.

Anne: Okay. See you then. Goodbye.

John: Goodbye.
He puts down the phone and celebrates.

In her hotel room, Anne puts the phone down, and rings again.

Clerk: Hello?

Anne: Hello. Reception? What time is it please?

Clerk: It’s five o’clock.

Anne: And what time do you serve dinner?

Clerk: The restaurant opens in an hour, and dinner is served between six and nine pm.

Anne: And breakfast?

Clerk: Breakfast is served between seven and nine thirty am ma’am.

Anne: Thankyou.

Clerk: You’re welcome.
Anne puts the phone down, then notices the photo by her bed and picks it up again. There is a tear in her eye.
Study Notes
1. Making an appointment

Anne: Can I make an appointment please?

John: When would you like to come in?

When we say a specific time, we use at.

For example:

I’ll see you at ten o’clock.

I’ll see you at half-past four.

John: Let’s see… Yes, I can see you at ten o’clock.

2. Can

Can means 'able to'.

I can see you = I am able to see you.

To ask a question using can, change the order of I and can

Statement and Question

I can see you

Can I see you?

He can see you

Can he see you?

We can see you

Can we see you?

They can see you

Can they see you?

Anne: Can you find missing people?

John: Sometimes we can.

3. Will and 'LL

As we’ve seen before, the word will is used to show that we are talking about the future.

For example:

I will see you tomorrow.

Usually, in conversation, we shorten this to:

I’ll see you tomorrow.

The other contractions are:


he will/he’ll

she will/she’ll

it will/it’ll

you will/you’ll

we will/we’ll

they will/they’ll


4. The time

For exact hours we say o' clock.

4:00 = It’s four o’clock.

10:00 = It’s ten o’clock.

We can also just say:

It’s ten.

Often we add a.m.(for any time after twelve midnight to twelve midday.)

or p.m. (for any time after twelve midday to twelve midnight).

It’s ten a.m.

Or

It’s ten p.m.

For half-way between the hours, we use half-past.

4:30 = It’s half-past four.

or we can just say:

It’s four-thirty (p.m. or a.m.).

For quarter hours we say a quarter past or a quarter to.

4:15 = It’s a quarter past four.

4:45 = It’s a quarter to five.

Or we can just say:

It’s four fifteen.

It’s four forty-five.

For any time we can say a number of minutes past an hour up to half-past, or a number of minutes to an hour after half-past.

4:10 = It’s ten past four

4:25 = It’s twenty-five past four.

4:35 = It’s twenty-five to five.

4:50 = It’s ten to five.

Or we can just say:

It’s four ten; four twenty-five; four thirty-five; or four fifty.
5. Prepositions with time

The prepositions used with time are:

in; at; on; for; from; until

at = a particular time.

I’ll see you at ten o’clock.

John: Let’s see… Yes, I can see you at ten o’clock.

in= a period of time in the future.

I’ll see you in an hour.

I’ll see you in a week.

Clerk: The restaurant opens in an hour, and dinner is served between six and nine pm.

on = a day or date

I’ll see you on Wednesday.

I saw you on the 30th of June.

for = a period of time an action takes place.

I’ll see you for an hour.

I’ve been sick for a week.

from = the time an action starts.

until = the time an action finishes.

They worked from 9a.m. until 5 p.m.

We can also use between to describe time.

They were working between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Clerk: The restaurant opens in an hour, and dinner is served between six and nine pm.

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