+44 7949 488211

Show Me Tell Me Questions:
The Full 2026 List and Answers

SEPTEMBER 11, 2026
|
6 MIN READ
Show Me Tell Me Questions UK Driving Test

Quick answer: In the UK driving test you are asked two vehicle safety questions. One “tell me” question comes at the start, before you drive, where you explain how you would do a safety check. One “show me” question comes while you drive, where you show the control. There are 21 questions in total: 14 tell me and 7 show me. Getting one or both wrong is a single minor fault.

Learners worry about these questions, but they are the easiest marks on the test. The list is fixed and public, so you can learn every answer in advance. This page gives you all 21 questions with a short, plain answer for each, plus how they are marked and how to remember them.

Key facts at a glance

You get two questions on the day: one tell me and one show me.
The tell me question is asked before you drive. The show me question is asked while you drive.
The full list has 21 questions: 14 tell me and 7 show me.
One or both wrong counts as one minor fault, not a fail.
The official DVSA list last changed on 4 December 2017, so the 2026 questions are the same.

The 7 show me questions (asked while you drive)

You show the control while driving. Keep your eyes on the road and operate it when safe.

Show me how you would wash and clean the rear windscreen. Operate the rear wash and wipe control.
Show me how you would wash and clean the front windscreen. Operate the front wash and wipe control.
Show me how you would switch on your dipped headlights. Turn the light switch to the dipped headlight position.
Show me how you would set the rear demister. Press the rear demister button, with the engine running.
Show me how you would operate the horn. Press the horn, but only when it is safe and needed.
Show me how you would demist the front windscreen. Set the fan and heat to the windscreen, or press the front demist button.
Show me how you would open and close a side window. Use the window switch or winder.

The 14 tell me questions (asked before you drive)

You explain the check in words. You do not have to carry it out, except for the last three, where you open the bonnet.

Tell me how you would check the brakes work before a journey. The brakes should not feel spongy or slack, and the car should not pull to one side as you set off.
Tell me where you would find the recommended tyre pressures and how you would check them. In the handbook or on a sticker in the door opening or fuel flap. Check with a pressure gauge when the tyres are cold, and do not forget the spare.
Tell me how you make sure your head restraint is set right. The firm part should sit about level with the top of your head, and as close to the back of your head as is comfortable.
Tell me how you would check the tyres have enough tread and are safe. No cuts or bulges, with tread of at least 1.6mm across the middle three quarters and all the way round.
Tell me how you would check the headlights and tail lights work. Operate the switch and walk round the car to look. As a tell me, you only explain it.
Tell me how you would know if there was a problem with the ABS. A warning light on the dashboard shows if there is a fault with the anti lock braking system.
Tell me how you would check the direction indicators work. Operate the switch and watch the indicator light on the dashboard.
Tell me how you would check the brake lights work. Press the brake pedal and look for the light in a reflection, such as a window or garage door, or ask someone to check.
Tell me how you would check the power steering works. The wheel should feel light. If it feels heavy as you move off, the system may have a fault.
Tell me how you would switch on the rear fog light and when you would use it. Find the switch and turn it on with the lights on, then check the warning light. Use it only when visibility drops below 100 metres.
Tell me how you switch from dipped to main beam and how you would know it is on. Operate the beam switch and check the blue main beam light on the dashboard.
Open the bonnet and tell me how you would check the engine has enough oil. Find the dipstick, pull it out and wipe it, then check the level sits between the minimum and maximum marks.
Open the bonnet and tell me how you would check the engine has enough coolant. Check the coolant in the header tank sits between the minimum and maximum marks.
Open the bonnet and tell me how you would check the brake fluid level. Check the fluid in the reservoir sits between the minimum and maximum marks.

How are they marked?

Getting one or both questions wrong gives you a single minor fault, so a wrong answer alone will not fail you. The one risk is the show me question while driving. If you lose control or drive unsafely as you reach for the control, that can be a serious or dangerous fault. So operate the control with a quick glance, not a long look down.

How to remember them

Split the job in two. Learn the 7 show me answers as physical controls you can find without looking, since you do these on the move. Learn the 14 tell me answers as short spoken lines, since you only explain them. For the last three, practise popping the bonnet and pointing to the oil dipstick, the coolant tank, and the brake fluid reservoir on the car you will use. In a manual car you will already be busy with clutch and gears, so knowing the show me controls by feel keeps your eyes up. A few runs through with your instructor, and all 21 stick.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to lock these in?

Reading the list is step one. Doing the checks on a real car is what makes them stick. Book a manual lesson with TM Drive School and we will run through all 21 on the car you will take to test. See our prices and book a lesson, or read what to expect on your driving test day next.