When you take your UK driving test, the examiner will ask you one ‘tell me’ question before you start driving and one ‘show me’ question while you’re driving.
These are designed to check your knowledge of basic car safety and maintenance.
Tell Me Questions (asked before you start driving)
1. Brakes – Tell me how you’d check that the brakes are working before starting a journey.
2. Tyre pressures – Tell me where you’d find the information for the recommended tyre pressures for this car and how tyre pressures should be checked.
3. Head restraint – Tell me how you make sure your head restraint is correctly adjusted so it provides the best protection in the event of a crash.
4. Tyre tread – Tell me how you’d check the tyres to ensure that they have sufficient tread depth and that their general condition is safe to use on the road.
5. Lights – Tell me how you’d check that the headlights and tail lights are working (you don’t need to exit the vehicle).
6. ABS – Tell me how you’d know if there was a problem with your anti-lock braking system.
7. Indicators – Tell me how you’d check the direction indicators are working (you don’t need to exit the vehicle).
8. Brake lights – Tell me how you’d check the brake lights are working on this car.
9. Power steering – Tell me how you’d check the power-assisted steering is working before starting a journey.
10. Fog lights – Tell me how you’d switch on the rear fog light(s) and explain when you’d use them (you don’t need to exit the vehicle).
11. Main beam – Tell me how you switch your headlight from dipped to main beam and explain how you’d know the main beam is on.
12. Engine oil – Open the bonnet and tell me how you’d check that the engine has sufficient oil.
13. Engine coolant – Open the bonnet and tell me how you’d check that the engine has sufficient engine coolant.
14. Brake fluid – Open the bonnet and tell me how you’d check that you have a safe level of hydraulic brake fluid.
Show Me Questions (asked while driving)
1. When it’s safe to do so, can you show me how you wash and clean the rear windscreen?
2. When it’s safe to do so, can you show me how you wash and clean the front windscreen?
3. When it’s safe to do so, can you show me how you’d switch on your dipped headlights?
4. When it’s safe to do so, can you show me how you’d set the rear demister?
5. When it’s safe to do so, can you show me how you’d operate the horn?
6. When it’s safe to do so, can you show me how you’d demist the front windscreen?
7. When it’s safe to do so, can you show me how you’d open and close the side window.
✅ Tip for Learners: You only get asked one ‘tell me’ and one ‘show me’ question on your test – but being familiar with all of them will make you more confident on the day.