Telling the time "3:15" in American English


Which of the followings is the most common way to say 3:15 in American English?




  1. A quarter past three

  2. A quarter after three

  3. Three fifteen



Also, in the last example "three fifteen", where do you put the stress (fif-TEEN or FIF-teen)?



Answer



It's most commonly three fifteen /ˈθri fɪfˈtin/. In the latter word, the stress is on teen.


The other two choices are also fine, with past somewhat more common than after. The article a isn't always included.


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