Time Detectives: Reading Clocks and Solving Time Problems
Key Stage 2 (Years 3–6) · Beginner
Instructions: Work through the activities in order, using the examples to help you. Read each clock carefully and show your answer in the box provided. Remember: 60 minutes make 1 hour, and 24-hour time counts from 00:00 to 23:59.
Read the Analogue Clocks
Read each clock face and write the time using the 12-hour clock. The long hand shows the minutes and the short hand shows the hour. Example: a clock showing 4:30 is half past four.
Write Times in 24-Hour Time
Convert each afternoon or evening time from the 12-hour clock to the 24-hour clock. For times after midday, add 12 to the hour; for example, 2:00 pm becomes 14:00. Write each answer with four digits and a colon.
1. 1:00 pm =
2. 3:30 pm =
3. 6:15 pm =
4. 8:45 pm =
5. 11:20 pm =
How Much Time Has Passed?
Find the time that has passed between each pair of times. Count on in convenient steps, such as to the next hour and then on to the finish time. Example: from 2:40 to 3:10 is 20 minutes to 3:00, then 10 more minutes: 30 minutes.
1. From 9:00 am to 10:00 am:
2. From 10:15 am to 10:45 am:
3. From 11:30 am to 12:00 noon:
4. From 2:20 pm to 3:00 pm:
5. From 4:45 pm to 5:15 pm:
Complete the Time Table
Use the first row as an example. Complete the missing start time, finish time or duration in each remaining row. Remember that 60 minutes equal 1 hour.
| Activity | Start | Finish | Duration |
| Reading | 9:00 am | 9:30 am | 30 minutes |
| Art | 10:15 am | 45 minutes | |
| Swimming | 12:00 noon | 1 hour | |
| Music | 1:20 pm | 2:00 pm | |
| Football | 3:15 pm | 4:00 pm |
1. What time does art finish?
2. What time does swimming start?
3. How long is music?
4. How long is football?
Solve the Time Problems
Read each short problem and work out the answer. You may count on using hours and minutes, or make a simple time line in the answer box. Include the unit in each answer.
1. A film starts at 2:00 pm and lasts 1 hour. What time does it finish?
2. A train leaves at 9:20 am and arrives 30 minutes later. What time does it arrive?
3. Sam begins reading at 4:15 pm and stops at 4:45 pm. How long does Sam read?
4. A lesson starts at 10:30 am and lasts 1 hour 30 minutes. What time does it finish?
5. A bus leaves at 1:40 pm. The journey takes 20 minutes. What time does the bus arrive?
Activity 1: 2:00; 5:30; 8:15; 10:45; 12:20
Activity 2: 13:00; 15:30; 18:15; 20:45; 23:20
Activity 3: 1 hour; 30 minutes; 30 minutes; 40 minutes; 30 minutes
Activity 4: 10:15 am; 11:00 am; 40 minutes; 45 minutes
Activity 5: 3:00 pm; 9:50 am; 30 minutes; 12:00 noon; 2:00 pm
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