Telling, Talking, Time

[Factorial]

I just told my daughter, "It's quarter of eight", to remind her how much time she has until she needs to leave for the bus. The response, as usual, was "What does that mean?". Does no one use/teach that way of telling others what time it is anymore? Schools don't seem to spend much time teaching kids how to tell time on a real clock.

[Idoit40fans]

I've never understood "quarter of". "Quarter till" makes sense to me.

[Troy Loney]

Quarter till. Maybe she hasn't got to fractions yet.

[columbia]

[Gaucho]

It would make sense if quarter of eight meant a quarter past seven.

[shafnutz05]

It would make sense if quarter of eight meant a quarter past seven.

Shouldn't quarter of eight technically mean 2:00?

[npv708]

The first time I had ever heard anyone use "quarter of" I was in college and was like, say what? I was told to meet someone somewhere an they said that and I stood there trying to figure out what that meant. Apparently a lot of New Englanders use it.

[count2infinity]

the first time i heard the phrase "quarter of" I thought it meant quarter after. quarter til and quarter after make much more sense.

[Letang Is The Truth]

5 minutes passed 20 til 8

[mac5155]

i use "quarter til" and "quarter after" but not half past or anything else really.

[PghSkins]

Went to Ireland on business, they use "half" to identify :30. I never quite got if "half eight" was 7:30 or 8:30. I was always either an hour late or early. I'm still not sure which.

Also, I was wasted that entire trip which didn't help.

As far as the OP, my kids know what quarter to 8 means.

[Pavel Bure]

Depending on age it's a very tough concept for children to grasp. This is compounded further by there being no real need to tell time on a traditional clock in this day and age.

[Factorial]

Went to Ireland on business, they use "half" to identify :30. I never quite got if "half eight" was 7:30 or 8:30. I was always either an hour late or early. I'm still not sure which.

Also, I was wasted that entire trip which didn't help.

As far as the OP, my kids know what quarter to 8 means.

Half past eight is 8:30.

[Factorial]

Depending on age it's a very tough concept for children to grasp. This is compounded further by there being no real need to tell time on a traditional clock in this day and age.

Draw a circle and draw a line down the middle. Now draw another line making four equal size pieces of the circle. Add the numbers and that's it. I guess I will do this tonight.

Yes, there is a need for knowing this. Just because people have calculators doesn't mean they shouldn't learn how to +. -. *, or / by hand.

[Kaizer]

there isnt a need to know it if you just say it right.

/emoticon

[steelhammer]

Try a hat clock:

[PensFanInDC]

cant wait for quarter of chili

[LeopardLetang]

half past chilli sounds a bit gross

[columbia]

Half passed chili sounds even worse.

[columbia]

I found a clock for you, Factorial:

[steelhammer]

Chili:30. Final answer.

[no name]

Everything is digital now, ok we all know what a clock is and how quarters and halves work, but without the visual of a round clock i guess its harder to grasp.

[steelhammer]

Everything is digital now, ok we all know what a clock is and how quarters and halves work, but without the visual of a round clock i guess its harder to grasp.

Hey now. UTC isn't for everyone:

[newarenanow]

the first time i heard the phrase "quarter of" I thought it meant quarter after. quarter til and quarter after make much more sense.

I very rarely ever hear "quarter of", but I know what it means.

I use quarter til or quarter after.

[Sam's Drunk Dog]

What does quarter of mean anyways? I use quarter till or quarter after.