Grade 1 Telling-time: Half Past

Read times to the half hour

What You'll Learn

Read half past (30 minutes)

📖Half Past

When the long minute hand points to 6, it is half past the hour — 30 minutes. The short hour hand sits halfway between two numbers; the hour is the smaller number it has just passed. Minute hand on 6 with the hour hand between 3 and 4 is 3:30.

Worked examples

Real problems from the practice worksheets, solved one step at a time.

Example 1
What time is shown on the clock?
1. The short hour hand is between the 8 and the 9. It has passed the 8 but not the 9 yet, so the hour is still 8.
2. The long minute hand points to the 6, halfway around the clock: count by 5s — 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 — so it is 30 minutes (half past).
3. Hour 8 and 30 minutes: the time is 8:30.
Answer: 8:30
Example 2
What time is shown on the clock?
1. The short hour hand is between the 1 and the 2. It has passed the 1 but not the 2 yet, so the hour is still 1.
2. The long minute hand points to the 6, halfway around the clock: count by 5s — 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 — so it is 30 minutes (half past).
3. Hour 1 and 30 minutes: the time is 1:30.
Answer: 1:30
Example 3
What time is shown on the clock?
1. The short hour hand is between the 7 and the 8. It has passed the 7 but not the 8 yet, so the hour is still 7.
2. The long minute hand points to the 6, halfway around the clock: count by 5s — 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 — so it is 30 minutes (half past).
3. Hour 7 and 30 minutes: the time is 7:30.
Answer: 7:30