‘Show Me, Tell Me’ Questions Explained

You may think that learning to drive is only about being able to get from A to B on the road, but did you know you can also be tested on other things?

In your practical test you will be asked a few questions known as ‘show me, tell me’ questions.

Designed to test your knowledge on your car and how to drive safely, these questions are nothing to be afraid of and we’re going to reveal how to answer them confidently in this blog.

The examiner will only ask you one ‘show me’ and one ‘tell me’ question, and they are not designed to trip you up. However, it’s best to learn as much as possible during your GoGoGo driving crash course to be prepared!

To help you prepare we’ve listed some common ‘show me, tell me’ examples below.

Show Me Questions:

‘Show me’ questions are always given during the test. You will be asked to demonstrate a simple action, such as:

• When it’s safe to do so, can you show me how you would switch on your dipped headlights?
• When it’s safe to do so, can you show me how you would open and close the side window?
• When it’s safe to do so, can you show me how you would operate the horn?
• When it’s safe to do so, can you show me how you’d demist the front windscreen?
• When it’s safe to do so, can you show me how you wash and clean the front windscreen?

Tell Me Questions:

‘Tell me’ questions are given before the test and you will be asked to talk through how you would do something. Examples include:

Q. Tell me how you would check the brake lights are working on this car?
A. You can ask someone for help, make use of reflections in other windows or doors.

Q. Tell me how tyre pressure should be checked and where to get this information?
A. You can look in the manufacturers guide and use a reliable pressure gauge.

Q. Open the bonnet and tell me how you would check there is sufficient oil in the engine?
A. Identify the oil level indicator/dipstick, and check against the oil minimum and maximum levels.

If you are unsure how to do any of the above, don’t be afraid to ask your driving instructor – they will be more than happy to help. You can find more tips on how to pass ‘show me, tell me’ questions on the official Gov.uk website.

What happens if you get the ‘Show me, tell me’ questions wrong?

If you answer either of the ‘show me, tell me’ questions incorrectly you will usually only get a minor driving fault. So, while we recommend that you do take the time to revise these questions, it’s not the be-all and end-all of your test if you get them wrong.

Visit our website for more information and to book your 5 day driving course in Peterborough.