can you help solve an argument? if some one asks you the time and it is exactly 17 minutes past the hour, would u say to them that it is just gone quater passed or nearly 20 past?
saying it is 17 minutes past is not an option sorry...
2006-09-06 10:51:12 · 17 answers · asked by BOO 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Community Service
Feudalserfer no one said u had to answer it twice!!
2006-09-06 10:55:17 · update #1
nearly 20 past that way they have 3 mins to spare rather than being 2 mins late , like for a bus or something, always go forward a bit
2006-09-06 10:56:01 · answer #1 · answered by janeysmithster 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I choose different answers depending on how I feel. Most times, I go by "Oh, it's XX:17," and I stick to 24 hour military time, so it'd be "oh nine seventeen" or "sixteen seventeen".
But sometimes, for example if I've been waiting for a bus due at a quarter past, I say "It's after a quarter past (and the bus is late again grumble grumble grumble ...)" but if I'm in a hurry to get somewhere by twenty past and I'm early, I say "It's nearly twenty past".
It depends on whether quarter past or twenty past is more important to you in the moment.
But if someone's just asking me for the time, no specific context, I stick to "thirteen seventeen" or whatever - especially if I don't want him or others wanting to stop me in the street and bother me for the time again in future ... :-)
2006-09-06 11:06:19 · answer #2 · answered by fiat_knox 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
20 past but if they wanted to be funny i would say 17 minutes past plus how many seconds it was lol
2006-09-06 10:56:30 · answer #3 · answered by mystery542 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I answered this ten minutes ago!
17 minutes past is closer to quarter past than 20 past.
Two minutes from quarter past, three mintues from 20 past, therefore nearer to quarter past.
2006-09-06 10:54:09 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would say it's almost 20 past.
2006-09-06 11:03:23 · answer #5 · answered by ***Missy*** 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
tell them to get a life,and a watch. 20 past
2006-09-06 11:01:42 · answer #6 · answered by davedtaff 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'd say twenty past, because what they're looking for is how much time do they have to get somewhere, and that way they won't be late.
2006-09-06 17:22:31 · answer #7 · answered by nursesr4evr 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sit on the fence, just show them your watch face and ask them to make their own mind up which may waste a minute in which case then the dilema is solved...........
2006-09-06 11:01:05 · answer #8 · answered by Fram464 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
for arguments sake you would have to say it is just gone quarter past end of story
2006-09-06 11:19:32 · answer #9 · answered by Aonarach 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
20 PAST
2006-09-06 10:53:30 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋