Say it like this
- We have a show and tell coming up next week
- Let me show and tell you what we built
- Our team does a monthly show and tell
Use it at work
Inviting
- Show and tell is Friday. Share anything you built.
- Want to show your side project at show and tell?
During
- Here's a quick show and tell of the new dashboard.
- Any questions on my show and tell?
Afterward
- Thanks for the show and tell. Really cool.
- Show and tell is a great way to share work across teams.
Don't say this
Show and tell is typically informal and peer-level, not for executive approval or formal decision-making contexts.
Don't mix it up
| Term | What it is | Who writes or uses it | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| show and tell | Informal sharing of work | Anyone | Regular team events |
| sprint demo | Show sprint work to stakeholders | Scrum team | End of sprint |
| demo day | Bigger event presenting projects | Teams, startups | Occasional |
Practice
Try it
4 quick exercises
1. Your team finished a prototype and wants to gather feedback. What do you say?
2. Next Friday we are _______ to share the new API documentation and answer questions.
3. Which sentence uses show and tell incorrectly?
4. Rewrite this in natural tech English using show and tell: 'On Thursday the database team will explain and demonstrate the new query optimization improvements they made.'
Say it out loud
Phrase 1 of 3
"We have a show and tell coming up next week"
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More about show and tell
Real examples(3)
- in a standup
"By the way, we should do a show and tell for the new caching system once it's ready for review."
- in a team meeting
"Thanks for joining our show and tell today. The backend team will walk through their recent performance improvements."
- in a Slack message
"Who wants to do a show and tell about their side projects at the next team meeting?"
More mistakes(2)
Handle with care. Often confused with formal presentations or demos. Show and tell is more informal and interactive, meant for sharing work-in-progress or interesting discoveries rather than polished final products.
- ✕I showed and told the bug yesterday.✓I demonstrated the bug yesterday. We can do a show and tell about it with the team.
Show and tell is a session or event format, not a simple action verb. Use demonstrated or explained for individual actions.
- ✕The show and tell lasted five minutes.✓The show and tell session lasted 30 minutes.
Show and tell sessions are typically longer (20-60 minutes) to allow discussion. Five minutes is too brief for the interactive format.
Other forms(3)
- show and tell noun
"We held a show and tell last Friday to discuss our progress."
- show and tell session noun phrase
"The show and tell session gave everyone a chance to learn about the new database changes."
- do a show and tell verb phrase
"Let us do a show and tell to get feedback on the design mockups."
Often used with(5)
- do a show and tell · To organize or participate in a show and tell session
- show and tell session · The formal event or meeting where show and tell takes place
- internal show and tell · A show and tell held only within a specific team or department
- weekly show and tell · Show and tell sessions held regularly each week
- host a show and tell · To organize and facilitate a show and tell event
Similar words(4)
- demo · More formal and polished; emphasizes the final product demonstration
- presentation · More formal and structured; typically one-way communication with less interaction
- knowledge sharing session · Broader term that can include show and tell but may have other formats
- brown bag session · Informal lunch-time educational session; similar casual tone but different purpose
Opposites(3)
- formal presentation
- closed meeting
- tell only
Questions(5)
- What does show and tell mean in a tech company?
- Show and tell is an informal, interactive meeting where team members present their recent work, projects, or discoveries. It differs from a formal presentation because it encourages questions, discussion, and real-time feedback. The goal is knowledge sharing and team learning rather than persuading or making formal decisions.
- How long does a show and tell usually last?
- Show and tell sessions typically last 30 to 60 minutes, depending on how many people are presenting and how much discussion is generated. Unlike formal presentations, they are flexible and conversations can extend naturally.
- What should you present at a tech show and tell?
- You can present work-in-progress projects, new features, prototypes, interesting technical solutions, side projects, tools you built, lessons learned, or any recent accomplishment. The key is that it should be interesting to your team and invite feedback or discussion.
- Is show and tell formal or informal?
- Show and tell is casual and informal. It prioritizes conversation and collaboration over polish and formality. However, the presentation should still be clear and well-organized enough for people to understand your work.
- How do you prepare for a show and tell?
- Prepare by organizing your thoughts, creating visuals if needed, setting up any demos or code to show, and thinking about what feedback or questions you hope to receive. Keep it conversational rather than reading a script.
