Elapsed Time Worksheets

Elapsed time is the amount of time between the start and end of an activity. For students in grades 2–4, clocks and simple counting strategies help make these problems easier to solve.

Find elapsed time using clocks

Students read the start and end times on two clocks, then work out how much time has passed.

For example, if the first clock shows 2:15 and the second shows 2:45, the elapsed time is 30 minutes. Counting forward in five-minute steps helps students find the answer.

Count forward to find the end time

When students know the start time and how long an activity lasts, they count forward to find the end time.

Example: A lesson starts at 10:20 a.m. and lasts 25 minutes. It ends at 10:45 a.m.

Count backward to find the start time

When the start time is missing, students count backward from the end time.

Example: Soccer practice ends at 4:50 p.m. and lasts 30 minutes. It starts at 4:20 p.m.

Work across the hour

Crossing the hour is easier when students break the time into smaller steps.

To find the elapsed time from 1:45 to 2:20, count:

- From 1:45 to 2:00: 15 minutes

- From 2:00 to 2:20: 20 minutes

The total elapsed time is 35 minutes.

Solve elapsed time word problems

Word problems give students practice with everyday situations, such as lessons, journeys and playtime.

Example: Maya starts reading at 3:40 p.m. She reads for 35 minutes. What time does she finish?

Count forward 20 minutes to 4:00, then another 15 minutes. Maya finishes at 4:15 pm

Elapsed time worksheets

Elapsed time worksheets can combine clock examples, missing times and word problems to help students practice each skill. These K5 Learning worksheets helps students practice elapsed time across grade 2 to 4. 

Grade 2 elapsed time worksheets

Students are asked to write what the time will be after a certain period on these worksheets.

Changes in time

Here students work on forward and backward time in hour and half hour increments.

How much time went by

In these grade 3 worksheets, students work out how much time went by, or what time it will be.

Elapsed time word problems

These word problems have students working on elapsed time.

Harder elapsed time word problems

In our grade 4 math section, we have a set of word problem worksheets covering elapsed time.