To read an analogue clock you look at two hands: the short hand shows the hour, and the long hand shows the minutes. First read which number the short hand is pointing at (that is the hour), then count which number the long hand is pointing at and multiply by 5 to get the minutes — because between any two numbers on the clock there are 5 minutes.
To read an analogue clock you look at two hands at the same time: the short (thick) hand points to the hour, and the long (thin) hand points to the minutes. The first step is to read the number the short hand is closest to — that is the hour. The second step is to count which number the long hand is pointing at and multiply it by 5 — because between any two consecutive numbers on the clock (for example between 1 and 2) there are exactly 5 minutes. Those two steps together give the exact time.
The hands — which is short and which is long
An ordinary analogue clock has two main hands (and sometimes a third, thin and fast, which is the second hand). The short, thick hand is the hour hand — it moves slowly, and points near the hour number. The long, thin hand is the minute hand — it moves faster, and goes all the way round the clock once every hour. The simplest memory rule: short = hours (short, small, slow), long = minutes.
How to count minutes — the 5 times table
The clock is split into 12 numbers, and between any two consecutive numbers there are 5 minutes (because 60 minutes ÷ 12 = 5). So, to read minutes, you count which number the long hand is on and multiply by 5. If the long hand is on the 12 — that is 0 minutes (o'clock). If it is on the 3 — that is 3 × 5 = 15 minutes (quarter past). If it is on the 6 — that is 6 × 5 = 30 minutes (half past). If it is on the 9 — that is 9 × 5 = 45 minutes (quarter to the next hour).
| Long hand on the number | How many minutes | How we say it |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | 0 | o'clock (for example "3 o'clock") |
| 3 | 15 | quarter past |
| 6 | 30 | half past |
| 9 | 45 | quarter to the next hour |
3 step-by-step examples
Example 1 — o'clock: the short hand points exactly at the 4, and the long hand points exactly at the 12. The hour: 4. The minutes: 0 (because the long hand is on the 12). The answer: 4:00 — "four o'clock".
Example 2 — half past: the short hand is between 7 and 8 (closer to 7), and the long hand points at the 6. The hour: 7 (because the short hand has not reached the 8 yet). The minutes: 6 × 5 = 30. The answer: 7:30 — "half past seven".
Example 3 — minutes that are not a multiple of 5: the short hand is near the 2, and the long hand points exactly between the number 4 and the number 5 (two little marks after the 4). The hour: 2. The minutes: the hand on the 4 is 20 minutes, plus two little marks (each mark = one minute) makes 22 minutes. The answer: 2:22 — "twenty-two minutes past two".
Common mistakes when reading a clock
- Swapping the hands — thinking the long hand shows hours. Always: short = hours, long = minutes.
- Reading the hour from the short hand even when it has already 'gone past' the number — if the short hand is between 5 and 6, the hour is still 5 (not 6) until the long hand completes a full turn.
- Reading the number on the clock instead of multiplying by 5 — the number 3 on the clock means 15 minutes, not 3 minutes. Always multiply by 5.
- Mixing up "quarter to" and "quarter past" — quarter past the hour = the long hand on the 3 (15 minutes). Quarter to the next hour = the long hand on the 9 (45 minutes).
How to practise at home
The best way to teach telling the time is a real clock (or a cardboard one with moving hands) that you can move by hand. Start only with o'clock times (the long hand always on the 12), then add half past, then quarter past and quarter to, and only at the end move on to individual minutes. This matches the national curriculum order: o'clock and half past in Year 1, quarter past and quarter to and five-minute intervals in Year 2, and the nearest minute in Year 3. Short practice of 5 minutes a day — asking "what time is it now?" — is enough to secure the skill within two or three weeks.
Frequently asked questions
How do you read an analogue clock?
Look at the two hands: the short one shows the hour (the number it is closest to), and the long one shows the minutes — count which number it points at and multiply by 5. For example, if the short hand is on the 4 and the long hand is on the 6, the time is 4:30, half past four.
How do children learn to tell the time in Years 1–2?
Start with o'clock times only (the long hand on the 12), move on to half past (the long hand on the 6), then quarter past and quarter to (3 or 9), and only finally move on to individual minutes. A cardboard clock with moving hands helps a great deal at the early stage.
Why do you multiply by 5 when counting minutes?
Because the clock is split into 12 numbers but an hour contains 60 minutes, and 60 ÷ 12 = 5. So each number on the clock represents a jump of 5 minutes for the minute hand. The number 1 is 5 minutes, the number 2 is 10 minutes, and so on.
What is the difference between the short hand and the long hand?
The short, thick hand shows hours and moves slowly — one full turn takes 12 hours. The long, thin hand shows minutes and moves faster — one full turn takes just one hour.
How do you know whether the short hand is on 5 or has already moved to 6?
Check exactly where the long hand is. If the long hand has not yet reached the 12 (that is, has not completed a turn), the short hand has not officially reached the next number — even if it looks close to it. The hour is the number the short hand has not yet passed.
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