When someone says "10 past 7," it means ten minutes after 7 o'clock. In digital time, this is expressed as 7:10. This phrase is a common way to state time, especially in spoken English, and it refers to the duration that has elapsed since the beginning of the hour.
Understanding "Past" in Time-Telling
The word "past" in this context indicates that a certain number of minutes have gone by after a specific hour. It's a fundamental part of how time is often communicated, particularly when using an analog clock face.
- Minutes First, Then Hour: The number before "past" refers to the minutes, and the number after "past" refers to the hour.
- "Past the Hour": This phrasing applies to any time from 1 minute past the hour up to 30 minutes past the hour. For example, "20 past 3" means 3:20.
- Contrast with "To": After 30 minutes past the hour, people typically start using "to" to indicate how many minutes are remaining until the next hour (e.g., "20 to 8" means 7:40, as there are 20 minutes left until 8:00).
Examples of "Past" Time Expressions
Understanding how "past" works can be clarified with a few examples:
| Spoken Phrase | Meaning in Digital Time | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 5 past 1 | 1:05 | Five minutes after 1 o'clock. |
| 10 past 7 | 7:10 | Ten minutes after 7 o'clock. |
| Quarter past 9 | 9:15 | Fifteen minutes (a quarter of an hour) after 9. |
| Half past 2 | 2:30 | Thirty minutes (half an hour) after 2. |
| 27 past 11 | 11:27 | Twenty-seven minutes after 11 o'clock. |
Why We Use "Past" and "To"
The use of "past" and "to" stems from the traditional way of reading an analog clock, where the minute hand moves around the clock face. These expressions help describe the minute hand's position relative to the hour. They provide a more descriptive and often more natural-sounding way to tell time in casual conversation compared to simply stating the digital numbers.
For more information on how "past" is used in relation to time, you can refer to linguistic resources, such as definitions provided by reputable dictionaries like the Cambridge Dictionary.
Digital vs. Analog Representation
While "10 past 7" is an analog way of thinking about time, it directly translates to a digital format:
- Analog: The minute hand points to the '2' (representing 10 minutes) and the hour hand is just past the '7'.
- Digital: The display shows
7:10.
Practical Application
Knowing these phrases is useful in daily communication:
- Scheduling: "Let's meet at a quarter past 3." (3:15)
- Reporting: "The train arrived at half past 6." (6:30)
- Understanding Directions: "The event starts at 20 past 8." (8:20)
Related Time Phrases
Other common phrases include:
- "A quarter past" (15 minutes past the hour)
- "Half past" (30 minutes past the hour)
- "A quarter to" (15 minutes before the next hour)
- "Ten to" (10 minutes before the next hour)
These phrases allow for clear and concise communication of time without always resorting to exact minute readings, making interactions smoother.
