To hear the time just press the only button on top- it's a long thin bar. Right away you'll hear the time spoken out loud like this- "It's 7:44 PM." The speaker and LCD display on this clock are the largest of any timepiece we offer, meaning this particular model is an ideal choice for someone with partial vision or hearing loss. But even though the speech can be very loud (helping you hear the clock speaking over disturbing background noise such as a blaring television or general hustle and bustle in the workplace) you can always turn it down by using the volume switch. Setting the time and alarm is extremely straightforward due to the Mode button being larger than the two other set buttons used during the setup process. And of course our table clock does have that Hourly Report feature which can be turned on or off at the touch of a single button. It also has the classic beeping alarm to get you up in the morning. The time is either 12 or 24 hour military time. (Uses two AA batteries; not included.)