Accessible Time Format
Background
- This is a test to see how screen readers treat time with a colon (hh:mm) versus a period (hh.mm).
- Testing date: 6 August, 2025.
Observations
- Hours and minutes formatted with a colon are read consistency by all major browsers and screen readers.
- Hours and minutes formatted with a period are not read consistently by screen readers.
- Both Voiceover and JAWS use 'am' to infer that the preceding characters are in time format.
- The use of the <time> element doesn't seem to make any difference.
- The HTML specification for <time> uses the format hh::mm as does ISO 8601.
Conclusion
- Hours and minutes should be formatted on the web using a colon (hh:mm).
Test Cases - Colon
- A.1. At 9:30 the exam will begin.
- A.2. At the exam will begin. (using the <time> element)
- A.3. At 9:30am the exam will begin.
- A.4. At 9:30 am the exam will begin.
Test Results - Colon
| Test | Screen Reader | Browser | Notes | What the user hears | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.1.1 | At 9:30 the exam will begin. | NVDA 2024.4.2 |  138.0
| 
| At nine thirty the exam will begin |
| A.1.2 | At 9:30 the exam will begin. | NVDA 2024.4.2 |  128.13
|
| At nine thirty the exam will begin |
| A.1.3 | At 9:30 the exam will begin. | JAWS 2025 |
|
| At nine thirty the exam will begin |
| A.1.4 | At 9:30 the exam will begin. | JAWS 2025 |  138.0
|
| At nine thirty the exam will begin |
| A.1.5 | At 9:30 the exam will begin. | Voiceover |  18.5
|
| At nine thirty the exam will begin |
| A.2.1 | At <time> the exam will begin. | NVDA 2024.4.2 |
|
| At nine thirty the exam will begin |
| A.2.2 | At <time> the exam will begin. | NVDA 2024.4.2 |
|
| At nine thirty the exam will begin |
| A.2.3 | At <time> the exam will begin. | JAWS 2025 |
|
| At nine thirty the exam will begin |
| A.2.4 | At <time> the exam will begin. | JAWS 2025 |
|
| At nine thirty the exam will begin |
| A.2.5 | At <time> the exam will begin. | Voiceover |
|
| At nine thirty the exam will begin |
| A.3.1 | A.3. At 9:30am the exam will begin. | NVDA 2024.4.2 |
|
| At nine thirty am the exam will begin |
| A.3.2 | At 9:30am the exam will begin. | NVDA 2024.4.2 |
|
| At nine thirty am the exam will begin |
| A.3.3 | At 9:30am the exam will begin. | JAWS 2025 |
|
| At nine thirty am the exam will begin |
| A.3.4 | At 9:30am the exam will begin. | JAWS 2025 |
|
| At nine thirty am the exam will begin |
| A.3.5 | At 9:30am the exam will begin. | Voiceover |
|
| At nine thirty am the exam will begin |
| A.4.1 | At 9:30 am the exam will begin. | NVDA 2024.4.2 |
|
| At nine thirty am the exam will begin |
| A.4.2 | At 9:30 am the exam will begin. | NVDA 2024.4.2 |
|
| At nine thirty am the exam will begin |
| A.4.3 | At 9:30 am the exam will begin. | JAWS 2025 |
|
| At nine thirty am the exam will begin |
| A.4.4 | At 9:30 am the exam will begin. | JAWS 2025 |
|
| At nine thirty am the exam will begin |
| A.4.5 | At 9:30 am the exam will begin. | Voiceover |
|
| At nine thirty am the exam will begin |
Test Cases - Period
- B1. At 9.30 the exam will begin.
- B2. At the exam will begin. (using the <time> element)
- B3. At 9.30am the exam will begin.
- B4. At 9.30 am the exam will begin.
Test Results - Period
| Test | Screen Reader | Browser | Notes | What the user hears | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B.1.1 | At 9.30 the exam will begin. | NVDA 2024.4.2 |
| 
| At nine point three zero the exam will begin |
| B.1.2 | At 9.30 the exam will begin. | NVDA 2024.4.2 |
|
| At nine point three zero the exam will begin |
| B.1.3 | At 9.30 the exam will begin. | JAWS 2025 |
|
| At nine point three zero the exam will begin |
| B.1.4 | At 9.30 the exam will begin. | JAWS 2025 |
|
| At nine point three zero the exam will begin |
| B.1.5 | At 9.30 the exam will begin. | Voiceover |
|
| At nine point three zero the exam will begin |
| B.2.1 | At <time> the exam will begin. | NVDA 2024.4.2 |
|
| At nine point three zero the exam will begin |
| B.2.2 | At <time> the exam will begin. | NVDA 2024.4.2 |
|
| At nine point three zero the exam will begin |
| B.2.3 | At <time> the exam will begin. | JAWS 2025 |
|
| At nine point three zero the exam will begin |
| B.2.4 | At <time> the exam will begin. | JAWS 2025 |
|
| At nine point three zero the exam will begin |
| B.2.5 | At <time> the exam will begin. | Voiceover |
|
| At nine point three zero the exam will begin |
| B.3.1 | A.3. At 9.30am the exam will begin. | NVDA 2024.4.2 |
|
| At nine dot thirty the exam will begin |
| B.3.2 | At 9.30am the exam will begin. | NVDA 2024.4.2 |
|
| At nine dot thirty am the exam will begin |
| B.3.3 | At 9.30am the exam will begin. | JAWS 2025 |
|
| At nine thirty am the exam will begin |
| B.3.4 | At 9.30am the exam will begin. | JAWS 2025 |
|
| At nine thirty am the exam will begin |
| B.3.5 | At 9.30am the exam will begin. | Voiceover |
|
| At nine thirty am the exam will begin |
| B.4.1 | At 9.30 am the exam will begin. | NVDA 2024.4.2 |
|
| At nine point three zero am the exam will begin |
| B.4.2 | At 9.30 am the exam will begin. | NVDA 2024.4.2 |
|
| At nine point three zero am the exam will begin |
| B.4.3 | At 9.30 am the exam will begin. | JAWS 2025 |
|
| At nine thirty am the exam will begin |
| B.4.4 | At 9.30 am the exam will begin. | JAWS 2025 |
|
| At nine thirty am the exam will begin |
| B.4.5 | At 9.30 am the exam will begin. | Voiceover |
|
| At nine thirty am the exam will begin |
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