As an expert in the field of timekeeping and language, I can provide you with a comprehensive understanding of how to tell the time in English, particularly when it comes to the question you've asked about a quarter to 7.

In English, telling the time can be a bit tricky, especially for non-native speakers, due to the various expressions used. However, once you understand the basic structure, it becomes much easier. Here's a breakdown of how to express time in English, focusing on the example you've given: a quarter to 7.

### Digital Clocks vs. Normal Use

When you're dealing with digital clocks, the time is straightforward: it simply shows the hours and minutes numerically. For instance, 6:45 would be displayed as "6:45" on a digital clock.

### Normal Use: Telling Time in English


1. Exact Hours: If the time is exactly on the hour, you say "It's [hour]." For example, "It's 7 o'clock."


2. Past the Hour: If it's past the hour, you say "It's [minutes] past [hour]." For example, "It's 15 minutes past 6" for 6:15.


3. Half Past the Hour: If the minutes are exactly 30, you use "half past." For example, "It's half past 6" for 6:30.


4. Less Than Half an Hour Past: If the minutes are less than 30, you say "It's [minutes] past [hour]." For example, "It's 25 minutes past 6" for 6:25.


5. Quarter Past the Hour: If the minutes are 15, you say "It's quarter past [hour]." For example, "It's quarter past 6" for 6:15.


6. Quarter to the Next Hour: If the minutes are 15 minutes before the next hour, you say "It's [15 minutes] to [next hour]." This is where your question comes in. For 6:45, you would say, "It's quarter to seven."

### The Specific Case: A Quarter to 7

Now, let's apply this to your specific question: What time is it if it's a quarter to 7?

When someone says "a quarter to 7," they mean that there are 15 minutes until 7 o'clock. In other words, the current time is 6:45. This is because "quarter to" indicates that there are 15 minutes remaining until the next hour, which is 7 in this case.

### Additional Examples

- 6:15 - It's quarter past 6.
- 6:30 - It's half past 6.
- 6:35 - It's 25 minutes to 7 (or "25 to 7").
- 6:45 - It's quarter to 7.

### Conclusion

Understanding how to tell time in English can be quite simple once you grasp the basic rules. The key is to know whether you're past or to the hour, and by how many minutes. For your specific question, "a quarter to 7" translates to the time being 6:45.

Remember, practice makes perfect, so the more you practice telling time in English, the more comfortable you'll become with it. Whether you're using a digital clock or telling time in a conversation, these rules will serve you well.

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How to say the time in English -C Examples and ReferenceDigitalNormal UseHints6:15It's quarter past 6.past and the previous hour (here: 6)6:30It's half past 6.6:35It's 25 to 7.to and the following hour (here: 7)6:45It's quarter to seven.4 more rowsread more >>