The following conversation is missing some phrases or words. choose the answer that best completes the numbered blank space.
pilar: ¡hola, fred! ¿ (1) ?
fred: hola, pilar. (2) dos y media.
pilar: gracias. ¿vas tú al partido de fútbol hoy?
fred: posiblemente. ¿ (3) es el partido?
pilar: (4) cinco (5) cuarto.

(1)
a.
a qué hora
d.
qué hora es
b.
menos
e.
es a las
c.
son las

The complete dialogue is:

Pilar: ¡Hola, Fred! ¿Qué hora es?

Fred: Hola, Pilar. Son las dos y media.

Pilar: Gracias. ¿Vas tú al partido de fútbol hoy?

Fred: Posiblemente. ¿A qué hora es el partido?

Pilar: Es a las cinco menos cuarto.

In this problem, we have replaced each number with its correct option. So, let's explain why we chose this:

Here Pilar wants to know what time it is. When asking the time, we use the question ¿Qué hora es? The word qué introduces questions about objects, specific or abstract things. The word es is a conjugation of the verb ser used when we want to know the time. Therefore, the translation of this question is:

What time is it?

In this item, Fred answers the previous question saying: Hola, Pilar. Son las dos y media. To be polite, first of all he says hello to her. Next, he tells the time. We use es if we refer to one o’clock and use son if we refer to all other hours. Both words are conjugations of the verb ser.

A qué hora? translates into at what time? and we use it when asking at what time something takes place. So Fred wants to know at what time the soccer game will take place. To sum up, qué hora es? asks for the time and a qué hora es? asks for the time something will take place.

We use es a las to start answering the question a que hora es?, referring to all other hours different than one o'clock. We always use the word es (conjugation of the verb ser) referring an only thing that will take place. The word after this phrase is cinco which means five. So, in fact, we are talking about a time other than one o'clock.

Minutes can be subtracted from the hour by using the word menos that translates into less. So we can say that the soccer game will take place at a quarter to five, that is:

Es a las cinco menos cuarto.

We haven't included the noun el partido in this sentence because in Spanish it is common not to include nouns when we know the context of the sentence.