Solicitors Qualifying Examination 1 (SQE1) Mock Test
Pass the centralized assessment to become a qualified solicitor in England and Wales.
About the SQE1 exam
Overview of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE1)
The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) is the definitive centralized assessment route for all aspiring solicitors wishing to qualify in England and Wales. Introduced by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to replace the historic Legal Practice Course (LPC) and Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) pathways, the SQE ensures a consistent, high standard of professional legal competence across all qualification candidates regardless of background.
The examination is divided into two distinct parts: SQE1, which assesses Functioning Legal Knowledge (FLK), and SQE2, which tests practical legal skills. SQE1 is designed to evaluate candidates' comprehensive understanding of foundational law and procedural legal practice across two standalone papers: FLK1 and FLK2. Candidates are presented with complex factual scenarios and must select the single best answer from five plausible alternatives, reflecting the critical judgment required of a newly qualified day-one solicitor.
Taking comprehensive SQE1 mock tests is fundamental to achieving success. Candidates must not only master substantial bodies of statutory framework and common law doctrine but also develop rapid analytical reasoning, time management, and the ability to detect subtle distinctions in procedural rules and professional ethical standards.
Complete SQE1 Syllabus Breakdown
The SQE1 syllabus is established by the SRA's Assessment Specification and is organized across two major testing divisions:
Functioning Legal Knowledge 1 (FLK1)
- Business Law and Practice: Formation, financing, governance, and dissolution of sole traders, partnerships, limited liability partnerships (LLPs), and private limited companies. Corporate governance, directors' duties, shareholder rights, insolvency regimes, and relevant business tax principles (Corporation Tax, Income Tax, Capital Gains Tax, and VAT).
- Dispute Resolution: The Civil Procedure Rules (CPR), pre-action protocols, claim form issuance and service, statements of case, disclosure, interim remedies, CPR Part 36 offers, summary judgment, trial procedures, costs rules, enforcement of judgments, and alternative dispute resolution (ADR).
- Contract Law: Formation of contract, contractual terms, misrepresentation, mistake, duress, undue influence, discharge, breach of contract, and remedies.
- Tort Law: Negligence (duty, breach, causation, remoteness), employer liability, occupier's liability, product liability, nuisance, vicarious liability, and defenses.
- The Legal System of England and Wales: Court hierarchy, doctrine of judicial precedent, statutory interpretation, the Human Rights Act 1998, and retained EU law.
- Constitutional and Administrative Law: Parliamentary sovereignty, the rule of law, royal prerogative, judicial review mechanisms, and executive accountability.
- Professional Conduct and Ethics: Pervasive across the entire examination; application of the SRA Principles and the SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors, RELs, and RFLs.
Functioning Legal Knowledge 2 (FLK2)
- Property Law and Practice: Freehold and leasehold conveyancing, investigation of title, drafting contract terms, pre-completion searches, completion, post-completion registration, and property taxation (SDLT and LTT).
- Land Law: Registered and unregistered land systems, legal estates and legal interests, equitable rights, co-ownership, easements, covenants, mortgages, and overriding interests.
- Wills and the Administration of Estates: Validity of wills, statutory interpretation of testamentary dispositions, revocation, intestacy rules, grants of probate and administration, personal representatives' duties, and Inheritance Tax (IHT).
- Law of Trusts: Creation and requirements of express trusts, constitution, resulting and constructive trusts, fiduciary duties, trustees' powers and liabilities, and remedies for breach of trust.
- Criminal Law and Practice: Elements of core offences (theft, fraud, criminal damage, offences against the person, homicide), general defences, Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE), bail applications, magistrates' and Crown Court jurisdiction, and trial procedures.
- Solicitors' Accounts: SRA Accounts Rules, client money vs. office money, ledger bookkeeping, interest obligations, and accountant's report procedures.
Examination Structure and Test Rules
To ensure academic and regulatory integrity, the SRA and its official assessment provider, Kaplan, enforce stringent testing standards at Pearson VUE testing centres across the UK and internationally:
- Question Format: All questions are formatted strictly as Single Best Answer Questions (SBAQs). Five plausible options are provided; only one represents the most legally sound and accurate response.
- Closed-Book Setting: The exam is strictly closed-book. Candidates may not consult statutory books, case summaries, notes, or digital references.
- Timing and Stamina: In the live assessment, FLK1 and FLK2 each contain 180 questions split across two sessions of 2 hours and 30 minutes, allowing approximately 1 minute and 40 seconds per question.
- Strict Identity Verification: Candidates must present valid, unexpired government photo identification matching their registration details upon arrival.
- Secure Environment: Personal belongings, smart watches, mobile phones, and unapproved stationery must be stored in secure lockers outside the exam room.
- Permitted Stationeries: Candidates are provided with dry-erase noteboards and pens by the test centre. Physical scratch paper is prohibited.
Scoring and Passing Standards
The SQE1 assessment is not graded on an arbitrary fixed percentage. Instead, the SRA employs a criterion-referenced standard-setting process (such as the modified Angoff method) overseen by independent psychometricians and assessment panels.
- Each correct answer awards 1 raw mark. There is no negative marking, so candidates should attempt every question.
- A standard-setting panel establishes the minimum pass mark for each specific paper based on candidate cohort performance and question difficulty. Historically, the pass mark fluctuates around 55% to 60%.
- Results are reported as scaled scores and an absolute Pass or Fail outcome. Candidates must pass both FLK1 and FLK2 individually to complete the SQE1 stage.
Preparation Tips for Passing SQE1
- Adopt SBAQ Reasoning: Unlike university essays, SQE1 questions test factual discrimination. Identify the exact legal issue, eliminate the three obviously flawed options, and dissect the remaining two answers against statutory nuances.
- Integrate Ethics Constantly: SRA Principles and the Code of Conduct are tested pervasively throughout both FLK1 and FLK2 questions. When solving property or litigation problems, always consider conflict of interest and duty of confidentiality.
- Practice Timed Mock Tests: Maintaining focus over rapid-fire legal questions requires cognitive endurance. Regularly practice full-length timed sets under realistic exam conditions.
- Master Procedural Deadlines: memorise key CPR timetables, criminal justice disclosure time limits, and Land Registry priority periods, as exact timelines are frequently tested.
Test rules
- Candidates must present valid, unexpired government-issued photo identification matching their registration name.
- The exam is strictly closed-book; no unauthorized reference materials, books, or notes are permitted.
- All mobile phones, smartwatches, and recording devices must be placed in designated secure lockers prior to entry.
- Candidates are supplied with a reusable erasable whiteboard and marker by the test center; personal scrap paper is strictly prohibited.
- Any communication between candidates during the testing session results in immediate disqualification and referral to the SRA.
- Unscheduled breaks are allowed but the exam timer will continue running; candidates are not awarded additional time.
Score grading
SQE1 is criterion-referenced using the modified Angoff method. Raw scores are converted to a standardized scale. The pass mark generally falls between 55% and 60% depending on the specific difficulty of the question set. No marks are deducted for incorrect answers.
Syllabus & chapters covered
FAQs
SQE1 tests functioning legal knowledge through multiple-choice single-best-answer questions across substantive and procedural law. SQE2 evaluates practical legal skills through client interviewing, advocacy, case analysis, legal research, writing, and drafting.
SQE1 is entirely closed-book. Candidates are not permitted to use statute books, practitioner manuals, or personal study notes during the examination.
Under SRA regulations, candidates have a maximum of three attempts to pass each part of the SQE (SQE1 and SQE2) within a rolling six-year period from the date of the first attempt.
No, there is no negative marking on SQE1. Candidates receive one mark for each correct answer and zero marks for omitted or incorrect responses, so you should answer every question.
No. Under the SRA rules, you must hold a degree in any subject (or equivalent Level 6 qualification), but you are not required to hold an undergraduate law degree before registering for SQE1.