Time Reading Shifts Across Generations

A look at how age shapes the way people read time and why digital life is changing the habit.

Time Reading Shifts Across Generations

A Preply led look at how generations tell time shows clear gaps. For the time 8:45, 75% of Baby Boomers and 70% of Gen X say quarter to nine, while 57% of Gen Z and 10% of Gen Alpha use eight forty-five. Anna Pyshna, a Preply spokesperson, says younger readers prefer direct expressions and fewer idioms.

The explanation points to technology as a factor. Gen Alpha grows up with screens and online answers, which favors straightforward language. The study also notes many very young people have less exposure to analogue clocks, so digits on a digital display become the default.

The piece hints at a wider shift where digital life reshapes everyday speech. If time expressions become more literal, interfaces and learning materials may need to adapt.

However, the result may not reflect all communities or languages. More diverse data would help see if this is global or limited to online learners.

Highlights

Language evolves with our screens, and time itself may shift.