As a language expert with a deep understanding of both English and Chinese, I'm here to provide you with accurate and helpful responses to your inquiries. When it comes to understanding time expressions in English, it's important to grasp the nuances that can sometimes be a bit tricky, especially for non-native speakers.

Let's delve into the question: "What is a quarter to 2?" This is a common way to express time in English, and it refers to a specific point in time that is a quarter of an hour before the hour mentioned. In this case, the hour mentioned is 2 o'clock.

In English, a "quarter" is a term that signifies 15 minutes. Therefore, when we say "a quarter to 2," we are essentially saying 15 minutes before 2 o'clock. To calculate this, we subtract 15 minutes from 2:00.

Here's the step-by-step breakdown:

1. Start with the hour: 2:00.
2. Subtract the quarter of an hour (15 minutes) from this time.

When we perform this calculation, we arrive at the time of 1:45. So, "a quarter to 2" means it's 15 minutes before 2 o'clock, which is 1:45.

It's also worth noting that the expression "to" in this context means "before" or "short of." So, when we say "a quarter to 2," we are indicating that the time is before 2 o'clock, not after it.

Now, let's address the reference content provided. The statement "Quarter to three means 2:45" is incorrect based on the explanation above. If we were to apply the same logic to "quarter to three," it would mean 15 minutes before 3 o'clock, which is 2:45. However, the reference content seems to be mixing up the terms "quarter" and "half." A "half" past the hour means 30 minutes past the hour, which would indeed be 3:30 for half past three.

To summarize, "a quarter to 2" is the time that is 15 minutes before 2 o'clock, which is 1:45. It's an expression that requires a bit of arithmetic to translate into the exact time, but once you understand the concept, it becomes quite straightforward.

Now, let's proceed to the next step as per your instructions.

read more >>

Quarter to three means 2:45. {to three} implies before 3. So 15 minutes to three means 15 minutes before 3 i.e. 2:45. Quarter means 15 minutes and half means 30 minutes. . So half past three would mean 3:30.read more >>