English vocabulary - Martin Hunt 2016

17 Time (2)

In this unit you will learn

✵ how to tell the time

✵ common verbs and words to use with time (take, early...)

✵ how to ask about time (What time is it? When do you...?)

Basics

Note: Before you do this unit, make sure you know the numbers 1-60 and the words from Unit 17: Time (1).

Do you know these words? Check in a dictionary and write the word in your language.

Test your basics

Cover the words on page 216 so you can’t see them. Then write the English word in the spaces below.

Extension

Time

✵ O’clock is on the hour, for example, 2:00 = two o’clock.

✵ At other times we normally use groups of five: five, ten, twenty, twenty-five.

✵ For 15 and 45 minutes we use a quarter; for 30 minutes we use half.

✵ We use past for after the hour up to 30 minutes.

Example:

2:05 five past two  2:20 twenty past two

2:15 a quarter past two 2:30 half past two

✵ After 30 minutes or half past the hour, we say the number of minutes to the next hour.

Example

2:35 twenty-five to three 2:45 a quarter to three

2:40 twenty to three  2:55 five to three

✵ We can also say the time by saying the hour and the minutes.

Example

2:05 two oh five  2:35 two thirty-five

2:15 two fifteen   2:40 two forty

2:20 two twenty   2:45 two forty-five

2:30 two thirty   2:55 two fifty-five

✵ The first part of the day is called morning. To show times in the morning we can use a.m., for example: 8:15 a.m. = a quarter past eight in the morning.

✵ 12 p.m. is noon; after noon we have afternoon. When it gets dark, we have evening and at night people go to sleep.

Note: be careful with prepositions; we say in the morning/afternoon/evening but at noon or at night.

✵ Here are some common verbs we use with times. Look up any you don’t know:

get up

go to work/school

have dinner

go home

go to bed

✵ We use the preposition at with times to answer the question when? For example:

I get up at 6 o’clock.

I go to bed at half past ten.

More days

✵ Today is the day now. If today is [14 September/September 14], then [13 September/September 13] was yesterday and [15 September/September 15] is tomorrow. [12 September/ September 12] was the day before yesterday and [16 September/September 16] is the day after tomorrow.

✵ For years, months, weeks, or special occasions we can use last to mean the one before and next to mean the one after.

Examples:

Next week we’re going on [holiday/vacation].

Last month we bought a car.

Next January I’ll be sixty.

Let’s come back next year.

We had a great time last Christmas.

✵ For two or more days, weeks, months, etc. we can use ago for the past and in...time for the future:

In two weeks’ time we’re going on [holiday/vacation].

Three months ago we bought a car.

In three years’ time I’ll be sixty.

We saw him three days ago.

Modifiers, nouns and verbs

✵ Look at these nouns which we often use with times; look up any you don’t know.

meeting

holiday

wait

journey

✵ If you have a meeting at 9:00 and you are there at 9:00 you are on time; if you are there at 8:45, you are early, but if you’re there at 9:15, then you are late.

✵ To say how long something is we can use the verb take (past = took), for example:

The journey took three hours.

We can use the adjectives long and short to talk about how long something takes, for example: a long journey; a short wait.

Questions and sentences

✵ To find out the time we can ask What time is it? We can also ask What time or When + verb.

✵ For the length of time we use How long + take + verb...? or How long + be + noun...?

Examples:

What time is it?    It’s half past four, or I don’t know,

        I’m not wearing a watch.

What time do you have dinner?  We have dinner at seven o’clock.

How long does it take to go to work? It takes forty minutes.

How long was your [holiday/vacation]? It was three weeks.

Practice

Exercise 1 See if you can do this crossword.

Across       Down

2 The day after today     1 The opposite of short

3 a.m. is the...     2 ’What’s the ...?’ ’Ten o’clock.’

4 (and 4 down) A quarter past five is also... 4 See 4 across

5 30 minutes = ... an hour

7 The day before today    6 If you arrive before a meeting, you are...

Exercise 2 Decide if these sentences are right (✓) or wrong (X). Then correct those that are wrong.

1 We got here the day before yesterday. ✓

2 I have an important meeting this day at ten o’clock. X I have an important meeting today at ten o’clock.

3 I get up at thirty to eight in the morning (7:30).

4 How long time does it take you to get to work?

5 I have a short walk to work; it only takes fifteen minutes.

6 It’s my birthday in two days’ ago and I still don’t know what to do.

7 I had a half an hour wait for the bus today.

8 We normally have dinner at seven hours.

9 The time is three forty-five; that is, it’s a quarter to four.

10 At evening I like to stay in and watch TV.

Exercise 3 Put the words in the correct order to make the question, then choose the correct answer.

1 it time what is? What time is if?

a About three and a half hours.

b About half past three. ✓

2 meeting is how long your?

a About fifty minutes. I’ll meet you for lunch afterwards.

b About 10:50. I’ll meet you for lunch afterwards.

3 get time what you do up?

a I normally get up at a quarter past seven.

b It normally takes me about twenty-five minutes.

4 time meeting what your is?

a About fifty minutes. I’ll meet you for lunch afterwards.

b About 10:50. I’ll meet you for lunch afterwards.

5 take to long how it does work go to?

a I normally get up at a quarter past seven.

b It normally takes me about twenty-five minutes.

Now check your answers.

► Exercise 4 (Recordings 17.1, 17.2, 17.3, 17.4) Pronunciation practice. Listen and repeat the words on the recording. Use the transcript at the back of the book to help you if necessary.

In use

Reading

Before you start, check you know these words:

girlfriend

boyfriend

concert

tickets

argument

train

home

The diary of Sam Jones is a novel about a young man from the countryside working in the city. Read part of Sam’s diary about his relationship with Susie.

Reading 1 What is today’s date, i.e. what date is the author writing now?

Reading 2 Look at Sam’s sentences below. Using today’s date from Reading 1 change the dates to use the vocabulary in this unit (last, next, ago, in...time, etc.).

For example:

I met Susie on August 31.

I met Susie last month.

1 I asked Susie to be my girlfriend on September 9.

I asked Susie to be my girlfriend...

2 I bought some tickets to a concert on September 23.

I bought some tickets to a concert...

3 On September 29 I had a big argument with Susie.

...I had a big argument with Susie.

4 Susie phoned me at 11 o’clock.

Susie phoned me...

5 It’s Susie’s birthday in October.

It’s Susie’s birthday...

6 I have tickets to see Stairway on October 10.

I have tickets to see Stairway...

► Listening

Before you start, check you know these words:

holiday

Greece

taxi

plane

flying

flight

hotel

Note: To offer someone a lift is to offer to take them somewhere in your car. We use the phrase local time when the time in one part of the world is different to our own; for example, Greece is two hours ahead of the UK, so if I am in Greece, and it is 10 a.m. in the UK, then it is 12 p.m. local time.

You are going to hear Bob ask Fiona about her holiday plans.

Listening 1 (Recording 17.5) Listen and put a ✓ next to the questions you hear Bob ask.

Listening 2 Listen to the recording again and decide if the following sentences are right (✓) or wrong (X), then correct those that are wrong.

1 Bob’s going on holiday. X Fiona’s going on holiday.

2 Fiona is going to Greece. ✓

3 The taxi’s coming at 6:30 p.m.

4 Last time, the plane was late.

5 She’s coming back in two weeks’ time.

6 The flight takes four hours.

7 After the flight, there’s a long ride to the hotel.

8 They should arrive by half past four.

Now check your answers.

Recap

Here are the words we learned in this unit. Do you know them all? Write down the translations if necessary.

Time

the time  hour   minute

second  o’clock   past

to   a quarter  half

five past two half past two a quarter to three

(at) two twenty a.m.   p.m.

morning  noon   afternoon

evening  night   watch

clock

More days

today  yesterday    the day before yesterday

tomorrow the day after tomorrow last

next  ago    in... time

Modifiers, nouns and verbs

on time  early    late

take  long    short

meeting  [holiday/vacation] wait

Questions

What time is it? What time...? How long...? When...?

What to do next

✵ What time is it now?

✵ Think about your day - write down what times you do things and try saying them aloud.

Why not try these units next?

✵ Food (1) • Weather

Answer key for this unit

Test your basics

Exercise 1

Exercise 2

1 We got here the day before yesterday. ✓

2 I have an important meeting this day at ten o’clock. X I have an important meeting today at ten o’clock.

3 I get up at thirty to eight in the morning. X I get up at seven thirty in the morning or I get up at half past seven in the morning.

4 How long time does it take you to get to work? X How long does it take you to get to work? (Don’t use the word time).

5 I have a short walk to work; it only takes 15 minutes. ✓

6 It’s my birthday in two days’ ago and I still don’t know what to do. X It’s my birthday in two days’ time and I still don’t know what to do.

7 I had a half an hour wait for the bus today. ✓

8 We normally have dinner at seven hours. X We normally have dinner at seven o’clock.

9 The time is three forty-five, that is, it’s a quarter to four. ✓

10 At evening I like to stay in and watch TV. X In the evening I like to stay in and watch TV.

Exercise 3

1 What time is it?

b About half past three.

2 How long is your meeting?

a About fifty minutes. I’ll meet you for lunch afterwards.

3 What time do you get up?

a I normally get up at a quarter past seven.

4 What time is your meeting?

b About 10:50. I’ll meet you for lunch afterwards.

5 How long does it take to go to work?

b It normally takes me about 25 minutes.

Reading

Reading 1

Today’s date is September 30.

Reading 2 Here are the suggested answers.

1 I asked Susie to be my girlfriend three weeks ago.

2 I bought some tickets to a concert last week.

3 Yesterday I had a big argument with Susie.

4 Susie phoned me two hours ago.

5 It’s Susie’s birthday next month.

6 I have tickets to see Stairway in ten days’ time.

Listening

Listening 1

Listening 1

1 Bob’s going on holiday. X Fiona’s going on holiday.

2 Fiona is going to Greece. ✓

3 The taxi’s coming at 6:30 p.m. X The taxi’s coming at 6:30 a.m. (’half past six in the morning’)

4 Last time, the plane was late. X Last time, the taxi was late.

5 She’s coming back in two weeks’ time. ✓

6 The flight takes four hours. ✓

7 After the flight, there’s a long journey to the hotel. X After the flight, there’s a short journey to the hotel.

8 They should arrive by half past four. ✓