What the 'tell me' question is
The 'tell me' question is the vehicle-safety question asked at the start of the practical test, before you start driving. You are asked to explain how you would carry out a safety check, you describe the process out loud, you do not have to physically perform it. For example: "Tell me how you would check the brakes are working before a journey," and you explain what you would do and what you would expect.
It is the partner of the 'show me' question, which comes later while you are driving and asks you to demonstrate a task (such as washing the windscreen). Together they make up the show me, tell me checks.
How it is tested
You get one 'tell me' question, asked beside the car before you move off. The questions come from a published list covering everyday checks, brakes, tyres, lights, steering, fluids, the horn and demisters, so they are entirely learnable in advance.
The marking is light: getting the 'tell me' (and/or the 'show me') wrong costs you a single driving fault (minor) in total. You cannot fail the test on these questions alone. Because the answer is just an explanation given while stationary, there is no risk of it affecting your driving, which makes it some of the easiest marks on the test to protect simply by revising the list.
Why it is asked first
Asking it before you drive checks your basic maintenance awareness without distracting you on the road, unlike the 'show me' task, which you perform on the move and must do without compromising your driving. Learn the answers and the 'tell me' is a guaranteed easy start. For the full picture of both questions, see show me, tell me and what the practical test involves.
The questions most commonly asked
The published list covers around twenty questions split between "tell me" (verbal answers given outside the car) and "show me" (physical demonstrations while driving). Common "tell me" questions include:
Tyres: "Tell me how you would check the tyres have sufficient tread depth and are in good condition." Answer: check the tread depth indicator built into the tyre, legal minimum 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters; also look for cuts, bulges or uneven wear.
Brakes: "Tell me how you would check the brakes are working before starting a journey." Answer: test them as you set off, the brakes should be firm and not pulling to one side.
Engine oil: "Tell me how you would check the engine has sufficient oil." Answer: use the dipstick, engine cold and on level ground, with the oil level between the minimum and maximum markers.
Steering: "Tell me how you would check the power steering is working before starting a journey." Answer: as you move off, the steering wheel should turn smoothly with no heavy or stiff feeling. Before moving, with the engine running, push slightly on the wheel to feel if power assistance is present.
Coolant: "Tell me how you would check the engine has sufficient coolant." Answer: check the level in the translucent expansion tank with the engine cold, between the minimum and maximum marks.
Preparing efficiently
The quickest preparation method is to read through the DVSA's published list of tell me and show me questions once or twice and note the ones that feel unfamiliar. There are approximately twelve tell me questions, you will only be asked one, but you do not know which. Spending twenty minutes the day before your test reading through them and noting the key facts (1.6 mm tread, between min and max, engine cold) is typically sufficient. The vocabulary does not need to be word-perfect, a clear, accurate description is all that is required.
Managing nerves at the start of the test
The 'tell me' question is asked right at the start, often before you have even sat in the car. This can feel high-stakes because it is the first thing the examiner hears from you. The reality is that it is one of the lowest-stakes moments: maximum penalty is one minor fault shared with the show me question, and you are standing still with no driving pressure. Take a breath, answer clearly, and if you are uncertain, say what you do know, a partial but accurate answer is assessed on its accuracy, not its confidence.
The examiner is not looking for a verbatim recitation of a script. They want to hear that you understand the purpose of the check and know how to carry it out. A candidate who explains clearly what they are checking for and how they would recognise a problem demonstrates exactly the practical vehicle awareness the question is designed to reveal. Clear, confident, accurate prose is all that is required, no jargon, no memorised phrases needed.