A0 · Zero Point Chapter 5

Talking About Time

3 Total Rules
35 examples
5 min
Rules in This Chapter Quick Practice

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the clock and the calendar to organize your world and share your plans.

  • Navigate past, present, and future with simple time markers.
  • Use prepositions correctly to describe specific parts of your day.
  • Tell the time clearly using the 'o'clock' system.
Your day, organized and shared with ease.

What You'll Learn

Want to talk about your day, from 'morning' to 'night'? This chapter makes it simple! We'll explore words like 'Today' and 'Tomorrow,' and even learn how to tell the time, so you can share your simple plans with confidence.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to identify and use 'today', 'tomorrow', and 'yesterday' to sequence events.
  2. 2
    By the end you will be able to select the correct prepositions (in, at, on) for different times of the day.
  3. 3
    By the end you will be able to state the current time using 'It is' and 'o'clock'.

Chapter Guide

Overview

Knowing how to talk about time is one of the most useful skills you'll learn as you begin your English journey. Imagine wanting to share what you did yesterday, what you're doing today, or your fun plans for tomorrow! This chapter will give you the essential building blocks to do just that. You'll discover easy ways to name different parts of your day, like in the morning or at night, and even learn how to tell someone the time.
This isn't just about learning words; it's about connecting with people and making simple plans. Whether you want to say, "I work today" or "Let's meet at 3 o'clock," mastering these basics will open up new conversations. Getting comfortable with these phrases is a fantastic first step in English talking about time for beginners and a core part of your journey to learn English A0 grammar. It makes every interaction clearer and helps you organize your daily life in English.
### How This Grammar Works
Let's break down the simple rules for talking about time. We'll start with how to refer to different days, then move to parts of the day, and finally, telling the exact hour.
First, the basic time words for days:
* Today means this day, right now. Example: I eat pizza today.
* Tomorrow means the day after today. When you talk about tomorrow, you usually use a verb for the future, like "will." Example: I will eat pizza tomorrow.
* Yesterday means the day before today. When you talk about yesterday, you use a verb for the past. Example: I ate pizza yesterday. Notice "ate" is the past of "eat."
Next, let's look at parts of the day:
* We use the word in for larger parts of the day, like in the morning, in the afternoon, or in the evening. Example: I drink coffee in the morning.
* For night, we use at. Example: I sleep at night.
* When you add a specific day, like for the weekend or a specific day of the week, we use on. Example: I relax on the weekend. Or: I go to work on Monday.
Finally, telling the time for exact hours:
* When the minutes are zero, we use o'clock. It's very simple! Example: It's 7 o'clock. Or: My class is at 9 o'clock. We say the number first, then o'clock.
### Common Mistakes
Here are a few easy-to-make mistakes and how to fix them to sound more natural.
  1. 1Wrong verb tense with "yesterday" or "tomorrow."
✗ I will eat breakfast yesterday. (Incorrect tense for past action)
✓ I ate breakfast yesterday. (Use past tense for yesterday)
✗ I played soccer tomorrow. (Incorrect tense for future action)
✓ I will play soccer tomorrow. (Use future tense for tomorrow)
  1. 1Using the wrong small word for parts of the day.
✗ I read book on night.
✓ I read book at night. (Use at for night)
✗ We meet at the morning.
✓ We meet in the morning. (Use in for morning)
  1. 1Forgetting "o'clock" for exact hours or using it incorrectly.
✗ It's 3 time.
✓ It's 3 o'clock. (Use o'clock for exact hours)
✗ It's 3 o'clock and thirty minutes. (No, o'clock is only for exact hours)
✓ It's 3 o'clock. (Only use o'clock when the minutes are zero)
### Real Conversations
See how these simple time words help in everyday chats:
A: What do you do today?
B: I work in the morning. Then, I relax in the afternoon.
A: What time is it?
B: It's 5 o'clock.
A: Oh! I go home at 5 o'clock.
A: Do you work on the weekend?
B: No, I relax on the weekend. I will visit my friend tomorrow.
### Quick FAQ
Q: How do you ask someone what time it is in English?
A: You can simply ask, "What time is it?" or "What's the time?" These are both very common and polite.
Q: Can I say "morning" without "in the"?
A: Yes, you can say "Good morning!" or "See you tomorrow morning." But when you describe an action happening during that part of the day, you usually use "in the morning." For example: "I eat breakfast in the morning."
Q: What if the time is not an exact hour (like 3:30)?
A: At the A0 level, focus on o'clock for exact hours. You will learn how to say other times later, but for now, "It's 3 o'clock" is perfect if the clock shows 3:00.
Q: What are some other common time words for A0 learners?
A: Good question! You can also learn "now" (for this moment) and "later" (for a time after now). For example: "I am busy now. I will call you later."
### Cultural Context
English speakers use these simple time expressions constantly in daily life. Saying "at night," "in the morning," or "tomorrow" is very natural and expected. Don't worry about being too formal; these basic phrases are the building blocks for all kinds of conversations, from making plans with friends to talking about your workday. Just keep it simple and consistent with the rules you've learned.

Key Examples (6)

1

I have a meeting `today` at 10 AM.

Basic Time Words: Today, Tomorrow, Yesterday
2

She will call me `tomorrow` afternoon.

Basic Time Words: Today, Tomorrow, Yesterday
3

I usually drink tea `in the morning`.

Parts of the Day: In the Morning, At Night, On the Weekend
4

Let's have lunch `in the afternoon`.

Parts of the Day: In the Morning, At Night, On the Weekend
5

The store opens at eight o'clock in the morning.

It's 3 O'clock — Telling the Time
6

I have a meeting at two thirty pm.

It's 3 O'clock — Telling the Time

Tips & Tricks (3)

💡

The 'No Preposition' Rule

Never say 'on today' or 'at tomorrow'. These words are adverbs and don't need help from prepositions.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Basic Time Words: Today, Tomorrow, Yesterday
💡

The 'The' Rule

If you use 'in', you almost always need 'the'. In the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Parts of the Day: In the Morning, At Night, On the Weekend
💡

Drop it in casual speech

You don't always have to say 'o'clock'. If someone asks the time, just saying 'It's five' is perfectly fine.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: It's 3 O'clock — Telling the Time

Key Vocabulary (7)

Today The current day Tomorrow The day after today Yesterday The day before today Morning The early part of the day Night The time when it is dark Weekend Saturday and Sunday O'clock Of the clock (used for top of the hour)

Real-World Preview

users

Meeting a Friend

Review Summary

  • [Time Word] + [Verb]
  • In the [Period] / At [Night] / On the [Weekend]
  • It is + [Number] + o'clock

Common Mistakes

While we use 'in the' for morning/afternoon, 'night' always takes the preposition 'at'.

Wrong: I work in the night.
Correct: I work at night.

In English, we use 'o'clock' to tell the time. 'Hours' refers to a duration of time, not a point on the clock.

Wrong: It is 5 hours.
Correct: It is 5 o'clock.

We use 'on' for days and the weekend in American English (though 'at' is used in British English, 'on' is standard for A0 learners).

Wrong: I see you in the weekend.
Correct: I see you on the weekend.

Next Steps

You're doing great! Being able to talk about time is a huge step toward fluency. Keep practicing your 'o'clocks'!

Look at your watch every hour and say the time out loud.

Write three sentences about what you did yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Continue to: Survival & Socializing

Quick Practice (10)

Fix the mistake in the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

I will see you on tomorrow.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I will see you tomorrow.
We do not use 'on' with tomorrow.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Basic Time Words: Today, Tomorrow, Yesterday

Correct the mistake in the sentence.

Find and fix the mistake:

I go to the park in the weekend.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: on the weekend
In American English, we use 'on the weekend'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Parts of the Day: In the Morning, At Night, On the Weekend

Complete the negative sentence.

It ___ 10 o'clock.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
'Isn't' is the contraction for 'is not'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: It's 3 O'clock — Telling the Time

How do you ask the time?

Pick the correct question:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
In questions, the verb 'is' comes before the subject 'it'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: It's 3 O'clock — Telling the Time

Which sentence is correct?

Select the natural English sentence.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I sleep at night.
'At night' is the standard expression for nighttime habits.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Parts of the Day: In the Morning, At Night, On the Weekend

Which is more formal?

Choose the formal way to say 8:00:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
'O'clock sharp' is more formal and precise.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: It's 3 O'clock — Telling the Time

Which sentence is correct for 4:00?

Choose the correct time phrase:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
We use 'o'clock' only for whole hours with no minutes.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: It's 3 O'clock — Telling the Time

Complete the question.

Are you going to the party ___?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: tomorrow
'Are you going' is future/present, so 'tomorrow' fits best.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Basic Time Words: Today, Tomorrow, Yesterday

Which sentence is correct?

Select the natural sentence.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I ate this morning.
English uses 'this morning' instead of 'today morning'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Basic Time Words: Today, Tomorrow, Yesterday

Choose the correct word for the past.

I ___ a movie yesterday.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: watched
Yesterday requires the past tense 'watched'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Basic Time Words: Today, Tomorrow, Yesterday

Score: /10

Common Questions (6)

It is better to say last night. While people will understand you, last night is the standard expression.
It can be both! In 'Tomorrow is Monday,' it is a noun. In 'I will go tomorrow,' it is an adverb.
It's a historical exception. 'Morning' is seen as a duration (a box of time), while 'night' was historically seen as a single point in time.
Yes, but only for specific events, like 'I heard a noise in the night.' For habits, always use 'at night'.
No, you should not. We don't say 15 o'clock. Use numbers 1-12 only.
It is always o'clock with an apostrophe. The apostrophe shows that letters (f, t, h, e) are missing from 'of the'.
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