Show Me, Tell Me Questions
"Show me, tell me" questions are a short but genuine part of your practical driving test, checking that you understand basic vehicle safety and maintenance, not just how to drive. Two questions are asked: one "tell me" question and one "show me" question.
Reviewed by Aqua Driving School. Last checked: 28 September 2026.
How the two question types differ
- A "tell me" question asks you to explain how you would carry out a safety check, without actually doing it. For example, you might be asked to explain how you would check that the brakes are working before starting a journey.
- A "show me" question asks you to physically demonstrate a task while driving, such as showing how you would clean the windscreen using the windscreen washer and wipers.
One of the two questions is usually asked before you set off, and the other may be asked while you are driving, at a safe moment chosen by the examiner.
The kind of things you may be asked about
Questions are drawn from an official DVSA list covering areas such as:
- Checking tyre condition and pressure.
- Checking brake fluid, engine oil, or coolant levels.
- Using lights, indicators, hazard warning lights, and the horn.
- Demonstrating how to wash the windscreen or demist it.
- Explaining how to check the operation of the direction indicators.
Because DVSA periodically updates and can change the specific list of questions used, this page does not attempt to reproduce a complete or current list. Always check the official, up-to-date question list directly at gov.uk's show me, tell me guidance rather than relying on any third-party summary, including this one, as the final word on what may be asked.
How to prepare
- Read through the current official list on gov.uk and practise both explaining and, where relevant, physically demonstrating each one.
- Ask your instructor to run through a few during a lesson, since some, like checking indicators or the horn, are easiest to genuinely understand with the car in front of you.
- Get familiar with where the key controls and fluid checks are in the specific car you will be tested in, since the exact process can vary slightly between vehicles.
Do these questions affect your result?
Getting a show me, tell me question wrong on its own typically results in a minor driving fault rather than an automatic fail, but it is still worth preparing properly. More importantly, understanding basic vehicle safety checks is a genuinely useful habit for life as a driver, well beyond passing your test.
Related reading
Want to run through these with an instructor before your test? See our mock driving tests page, or get in touch with any questions.