Nearly every UK sign falls into one of three shape families, and the shape tells you what kind of message it is before you even read it.
Circular signs tell you what you must or must not do. The colour splits them in two:
Upward-pointing triangles with a red border warn you of a hazard ahead — a bend, a junction, a crossing, slippery road — so you can prepare. They don't order you to do anything; they give you a heads-up.
Rectangular signs give information — directions, distances, facilities. Colour tells you the road type:
Two signs have unique shapes precisely so you can recognise them instantly, even covered in snow or seen from behind:
The octagon is used for one sign only — STOP. The downward-pointing triangle is used for one thing only — give way. Nothing else uses these shapes.
1) What shape is it? (circle = order, triangle = warning, rectangle = info.) 2) What colour? (red = don't, blue circle = must, green/white/brown = road type.) 3) What's the symbol? Put those together and most signs explain themselves.
Signs come up throughout the test, so they're worth over-learning. Work through the road and traffic signs topic, then test yourself with a full mock. A pack of road-sign flash cards (see our study guide) is great for the ones that won't stick.
