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Hole One a New See Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

Question in connection with time expressions

Hi everybody,

It will be 2 questions in one post but both of them are very easy and small.

1.

One of my learning materials say that: you can use both to and past if the minute-hand shows 30.

For example we can say 7:30 as:
  • half past seven
  • half to eight
My other learning material accepts only half for these cases.

What is the truth?
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2.

This question is in connection with the words midday, noon, midnight.

Is it possible to say something like this:

12:05: five past midday

?

I think these three comes only alone (e.g. It is midnight.) but I'm not sure in this.

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Thanks for your help in advance.
  

Top answer

What is the truth? "Half to eight" is not English. "Half seven" means 7:30 (American "seven thirty" or "half past seven") in Britain.

— Enoon

  • What is the truth?
  • "Half to eight" is not English.
  • "Half seven" means 7:30 (American "seven thirty" or "half past seven") in Britain.
  • Hole One a New See 2.
  • g.
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10 Answers
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Hole One a New See1.One of my learning materials say that: you can use both to and past if the minute-hand shows 30.For example we can say 7:30 as:half past sevenhalf to eightMy other learning material accepts only half for these cases.What is the truth?
"Half to eight" is not English. "Half seven" means 7:30 (American "seven thirty" or "half past seven") in B
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enoon it's never twenty minutes to noon.
Why not? I would say that. (I would not say "It's twenty of noon," but "twenty minutes to noon" sounds perfectly fine to me.)
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khoff enoon it's never twenty minutes to noon.Why not? I would say that. (I would not say "It's twenty of noon," but "twenty minutes to noon" sounds perfectly fine to me.)
Yeah, I had second thoughts about that one. I still say that's pushing it, though.
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I think one would say the time is eleven-forty or twenty-to-twelve, but I can imagine someone using twenty minutes to noon if they were describing a situation that had occurred, perhaps one in which noon was significant in the story.
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Hi Blue jay,

The question am going to ask may not be related to the topic being discussed here.

I've heard the word "strike" used with a time, but I have never been able to know what exactly it (strike) means, probably because I've never tried to.

Could you please tell me how we can use the word "strike" when telling or asking about time?
It would be clearer if you
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A clock which has a chime or bell which sounds each hour is said to strike the hour when it does so. Perhaps the most famous example of a striking clock is the one at the Palace of Westminster, London, often referred to by the name of its bell, Big Ben. The term is sometimes used in literature to indicate that the time was on (or just after) a particular hour, without necessarily imp
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I really feel thankful to you, sir, for this clear explanation. Great!
However, I'd like to ask one more thing which is about your last example.
Blue JayHe decided that the hour had struck for him to assume his rightful place as ruler of the world.
You've used "had struck" here to mean "that a particular moment had been reached.
Can I use "the time had c
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Blue JayBig Ben
Yes, mankind's grandfather clock. Incidentally, such clocks also strike the quarter hour, the half hour and the three-quarter hour, often by playing that fraction of a distinctive tune that they chime in full on the hour right before tolling the hour.
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LaboriousCan we also say the following sentences without changing the meaning of the original sentence?- He decided that the time had come for him to assume his rightful place as ruler of the world.- He decided that it was time for him to assume his rightful place as ruler of the world.
Yes.
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Thank you very much, sir. I can't express how happy I am to be among you people!Really thank all.LB
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