Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Son Deureo!]

On a recent speaking test, I tested students on telling time by showing them a clock and asking them to tell me the time at least two different ways.

One student, upon showing her a clock reading 1:15, read it as "fifteen past one".

I'd taught them to read it as "one-fifteen", "quarter past one", or "quarter after one." I can't think of any reason why "fifteen past one" would be misunderstood here, but I can't say I've ever heard anyone say it that way either.

Should this student lose points on this question?

[lesigh]

It doesn't sound as bad to me as reading 1:30 as "thirty past one" but I only think that's because we can also say 1:20 as "twenty past one" and 1:10 as "ten past one"...so it's exactly in between.

Not technically incorrect, but does make me go hmmm.

[lesigh]

It doesn't sound as bad to me as reading 1:30 as "thirty past one" but I only think that's because we can also say 1:20 as "twenty past one" and 1:10 as "ten past one"...so it's exactly in between.

Not technically incorrect, but does make me go hmmm.

[littlelisa]

Sounds perfectly fine to me. I've definitely heard this before from native speakers.

[transmogrifier]

I'd definitely allow it because it is not grammatically incorrect, and most importantly, the meaning is immediately clear.

[Squire]

Not incorrect, but I've never heard anybody say '15 past one' or '30 past 4' etc. Quarter past one, one fifteen, half four, half past four, four thirty- this is how normal people speak

But I wouldn't deduct marks for it

[pegasus64128]

[nora]

I say XX past the hour all the time.

The key for me is - what are you testing? Did you teach them how to tell time? Were they supposed to say hour:minute, or did you teach them quarter and half, and the whole minute past the hour thing?

If you're testing a specific form and that wasn't it, then its wrong. As far as natural, totally natural.

[schwa]

[tardisrider]

"Fifteen past one" seems completely normal to me. I'd never consider it at all unusual or any different from "quarter after" or "one fifteen".

[matthews_world]

Don't lose face on this one by NOT giving the student credit.


You didn't teach this style and you want the student to pay?


Did you forget British cognates of telling time as well?


Language is not a tight little package that we can be subjective with unlike math for example.

[Son Deureo!]

I certainly don't want anyone to pay a penalty for using an expression I didn't teach, just because I didn't teach it. If it's considered correct in any part of the English speaking world, I'm happy to give full credit.

Most of the opinions seem to be confirming what I'd suspected, it's slightly unnatural but so easily understood it's not really worth making an issue of. Some people are even saying that they hear native speakers saying it. That's good enough for me to give full credit for this response on tests, although I will not specifically teach this expression.

And yes, matthews_world, I do also teach "half one" as well as "half past one" for 1:30, and any other U.S./British variations that I'm aware of.

As for the student in question, I did already give her the benefit of the doubt and full credit, but I did want to get some more opinions for future reference. Thanks again to all who replied.

[luckylady]

sounds like a student's mom was helping her study...

good for you in not marking her down, just let her know there's a difference in what's correct and what's the norm

[YTMND]

[pegasus64128]