Topographical test map symbols: questions and answers

1. On most UK road maps, what colour are primary routes?

1. Green (correct answer)
2. Yellow
3. Blue
4. Black

Answer: A. Green. Green is the usual colour for primary routes on a road map. Know Your Traffic Signs, Department for Transport

2. On most UK road maps, what colour is an ordinary A road that is not a primary route?

1. Purple
2. Red (correct answer)
3. Blue
4. Green

Answer: B. Red. The Department for Transport says ordinary A roads are usually red on road maps, and primary routes are green. Guidance on road classification, Department for Transport

3. What is the background colour of a direction sign on a primary route?

1. Blue
2. White
3. Green (correct answer)
4. Brown

Answer: C. Green. A primary route sign is green, with yellow road numbers and white words. Know Your Traffic Signs, Department for Transport

4. What does a direction sign on a non-primary route look like?

1. Brown background, white letters
2. Blue background, white letters
3. Green background, white letters
4. White background, black letters (correct answer)

Answer: D. White background, black letters. Direction signs on non-primary routes have a white background with black route numbers and lettering. Know Your Traffic Signs, Department for Transport

5. What do most motorway signs look like?

1. Green background, yellow letters
2. Blue background, white letters (correct answer)
3. White background, black letters
4. Red background, white letters

Answer: B. Blue background, white letters. Motorway signs are mostly blue, with white words, numbers and edges. Know Your Traffic Signs, Department for Transport

6. What colour is the background of a sign to a tourist destination?

1. Yellow
2. Green
3. Blue
4. Brown (correct answer)

Answer: D. Brown. Signs to tourist places have a brown background. Know Your Traffic Signs, Department for Transport

7. What kind of number does a primary route always have?

1. An A number (correct answer)
2. An M number
3. A B number
4. A C number

Answer: A. An A number. Primary routes are roads of national and regional importance, and they always have A numbers. Know Your Traffic Signs, Department for Transport

8. A direction sign shows a motorway number in brackets on a blue panel, with no motorway symbol. What does it show?

1. The end of the motorway
2. The start of the motorway
3. The way to reach the motorway (correct answer)
4. A road closed to cars

Answer: C. The way to reach the motorway. The route from the junction ahead leads to the motorway. It is not the motorway itself. Know Your Traffic Signs, Department for Transport

9. Which roads are usually called major roads?

1. Only motorways
2. Motorways and A roads (correct answer)
3. B roads and C roads
4. All unclassified roads

Answer: B. Motorways and A roads. Major roads usually means A roads and motorways, but there is no fixed definition. Guidance on road classification, Department for Transport

10. What are classified unnumbered roads sometimes called, unofficially?

1. D roads
2. M roads
3. C roads (correct answer)
4. B roads

Answer: C. C roads. Some people call them C roads, but this is not an official name. Guidance on road classification, Department for Transport

11. Which class of road makes up most of the roads in the UK?

1. Motorways
2. A roads
3. B roads
4. Unclassified roads (correct answer)

Answer: D. Unclassified roads. About 60% of UK roads are unclassified. These are local roads for local traffic. Guidance on road classification, Department for Transport

12. What do circular road signs mostly do?

1. Give orders (correct answer)
2. Give information
3. Give warnings
4. Show directions

Answer: A. Give orders. As a general rule, circles give orders, triangles warn and rectangles inform. Know Your Traffic Signs, Department for Transport

13. What do triangular road signs mostly do?

1. Give orders
2. Show motorway numbers
3. Show parking places
4. Give warnings (correct answer)

Answer: D. Give warnings. As a general rule, triangles warn. Circles give orders and rectangles inform. Know Your Traffic Signs, Department for Transport

14. A sign is a red ring around a symbol. What does it usually tell you?

1. What you must not do (correct answer)
2. Where to park
3. What you must do
4. What is ahead on the left

Answer: A. What you must not do. A red ring or circle means something is banned. Know Your Traffic Signs, Department for Transport

15. A sign is a blue circle with a white symbol. What does it usually give?

1. A warning of danger ahead
2. An instruction you must follow (correct answer)
3. The name of a place
4. Tourist information

Answer: B. An instruction you must follow. A blue circle usually tells you what you must do, for example turn left. It can also mark a route only for some vehicles. Know Your Traffic Signs, Department for Transport

16. A round sign has a red ring and a red bar across a black arrow. What does the bar show?

1. That a turn is required
2. That the road is one way
3. That change of direction is banned (correct answer)
4. That the road ends ahead

Answer: C. That change of direction is banned. A red bar across the sign, as well as the red circle, is used where a change of direction is not allowed. Know Your Traffic Signs, Department for Transport

17. A round sign has a red ring. Inside, a black arrow bends to the right, with a red bar across it. What does it mean?

1. Turn right ahead
2. No right turn (correct answer)
3. No left turn
4. No U-turn

Answer: B. No right turn. The arrow bending right with the red bar means no right turn. Know Your Traffic Signs, Department for Transport

18. A round sign has a red ring. Inside, a black U-shaped arrow has a red bar across it. What does it mean?

1. No right turn
2. Two-way traffic
3. No left turn
4. No U-turn (correct answer)

Answer: D. No U-turn. The U-shaped arrow with the red bar means no U-turn. Know Your Traffic Signs, Department for Transport

19. A round red sign has one thick white bar across the middle. What does it mean?

1. No entry for vehicles (correct answer)
2. No overtaking
3. End of the road
4. Stop at the line

Answer: A. No entry for vehicles. This is the sign for no entry for vehicular traffic. Know Your Traffic Signs, Department for Transport

20. A round sign has a red ring and is plain white inside, with no symbol. What does it mean?

1. Speed limit ends
2. No entry for pedestrians
3. No vehicles (correct answer)
4. Road closed ahead for repairs

Answer: C. No vehicles. A plain red ring with nothing inside means no vehicles. Pedal cycles pushed by hand are an exception. Know Your Traffic Signs, Department for Transport

21. A blue round sign has three white arrows in a circle. What does it show?

1. A one-way street
2. A motorway junction
3. A pedestrian zone
4. A mini-roundabout (correct answer)

Answer: D. A mini-roundabout. This is the mini-roundabout sign. You give way to traffic from the immediate right. Know Your Traffic Signs, Department for Transport

22. A tall blue rectangular sign has one white arrow pointing up. What does it mean?

1. Parking ahead
2. Ahead only for buses
3. One-way traffic (correct answer)
4. Motorway ahead

Answer: C. One-way traffic. This blue rectangle with a white arrow shows one-way traffic. Know Your Traffic Signs, Department for Transport