Is the time X:30 should be said only as "half past X" or it is possible also to say "half to X"?
For example:
It is 4:30 AM.
It is "half past four" or also "half to five"?
asked Mar 25, 2018 at 14:38
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Either the "0" in "04" or the "AM" is redundant. If "04:30" is pronounced as "oh-four-thirty", that implies military time. Military time uses a 24-hour clock, so 04:30 is 4:30 AM, and 16:30 ("sixteen thirty") is 4:30 PM.– JasperMar 25, 2018 at 18:30
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In British colloquial usage (but not American, I believe) this is also said as "half four".– Colin FineMar 25, 2018 at 21:14
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english.stackexchange.com/questions/87704/…– Virtuous LegendApr 15, 2018 at 16:03
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2 Answers
I would say "half past 0X". I don't know if anyone regulates this, but I do not recall ever hearing "half to 0X".
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I have never heard "half to", and if I did hear it I would be dubious what the speaker meant. Mar 25, 2018 at 21:13
In the analog clock days it was usual to say "a quarter past five" and "a quarter to six". Similarly "ten minutes" etc. instead of quarter. As far as i recall, "Half past" was the way the half-hour was called - "half to" could be understood, but it would sound odd.
Nowadays, it is more common to call the time as it appears on a digital clock, so "ten fifteen", "five thirty", "eleven forty-five". The quarters and halves are not incorrect but young people may have a hard time with them....
This ngram is one example of a comparison.
answered Mar 25, 2018 at 18:59
