SQE1 Tips: The Multiple Choice Test

Updated October 2025

Things To Know About SQE1

• The SRA indicates that SQE1 candidates must apply their knowledge of English law and demonstrate the competence required of a newly qualified solicitor of England and Wales.  SQE1 requires candidates to apply fundamental legal principles to client-based and ethical problems in the form of multiple choice questions (MCQs).

• The MCQs are designed as ‘single best answer’ questions and each MCQ has five possible answers. 

• The ‘cut off date’ for new legal developments is 4 months prior to the date of the FLK1 assessment.  That means candidates can expect to be tested on the law as it stands 4 months before their first SQE1 exam.

• There is no need to memorize case names, section numbers, tax rates, etc. The only exception is a handful of key rules and precedents that are so well-known in English law that they are used to describe a procedural step, legal principle or area of law.  Some examples include ‘Part 36 Offers’ in civil procedure and the ‘Rule in Rylands v. Fletcher’ from case law.  You will need to know these common case names and statutory provisions in order to answer certain questions.

• It is really important that you know the law well, because Kaplan’s single-best-answer questions are tough! I know that when you’re revising you can sometimes get bored, lazy or both (it happens!) – but try, as best you can, to really learn the material. While it can be comforting to think that, because the exam is multiple choice, you’ll “know the correct answer when you see it” – Kaplan makes this really hard to do. They will often give you two or more answers that are quite similar. If you’ve only skimmed the subject material – and not properly committed it to memory – it won’t be possible to confidently select the correct answer.

• Lastly – in contradiction to what I have just said above – it is important to know the law well because some of Kaplan’s single-best-answer questions are simple! (Not many, but some!) If you skim the subject areas too quickly – or overlook a concept because you think it is too basic to ever appear on the actual exam – you may miss out on some easy marks. (I speak from experience. When I sat, I remember that I just could not recall this very simple rule of statutory interpretation. I was kicking myself for having glossed over the basics (or perhaps just having forgotten them?) and therefore having to guess on an incredibly easy question).

Test Day Tips: How to Tackle SQE1 Questions

• Read the questions carefully and always read all 5 potential answers.  Even if you quickly spot what you think is the correct option, make sure to review all of the other possibilities.  As mentioned above, it’s usually the case that two or more answers are worded very similarly and, remember, you need to choose the single ‘best’ answer.

• If the best answer isn’t immediately clear, you should still be able to eliminate several responses that are obviously wrong (there are usually 2 or 3 of these).  Eliminate, then look at your remaining options and try to figure out which answer is ‘more correct’ in the context.

• If you find yourself truly stuck on a question, fight the urge to waste additional time on it.  Don’t dwell too long on tough questions.  Select an answer and move on.  The computer-based test allows you to ‘flag’ question numbers as you go.  Once you’ve been through all questions, if time remains, you’ll see a menu allowing you to easily revisit/change all the problems you flagged earlier.  (You can try out this functionality using the SQE1 exam simulation provided by the SRA/Pearson VUE).  

• Time constraints mean that you’ll have just under 2 minutes to spend on each question.  Of course, it’s reasonable to expect that some questions will take less time and some will take more (for example, the calculation questions mentioned below).  Don’t feel like you need to keep a strict 2 min/Q pace, but do watch the clock.  For example, I told myself that I wanted to have half of all questions completed by XX:XX time, in order to finish comfortably, review some responses, etc. 

• Some questions, like those for tax law and solicitors’ accounts, will require you to do calculations.  Be prepared to spend some extra time on these questions and don’t rush.  Having said this, try not to worry too much if the number(s) you get don’t match any of the answers (this happened to me).  Pick the answer closest to your calculations and move on.  You can come back to the problem again if there’s time at the end.

SQE1 Strategies: Additional Resources

• From Kaplan: Kaplan SQE (who writes and administers the SQE on behalf of the SRA) has also published guidance on the type of single-best-answer-questions used in SQE1. In the guidance – available on the SRA’s website – they explain both why SBAQs are used and how they are written. Kaplan has also published a YouTube video (meant for course providers) on how to write effective SQE1 questions.

• Finally, I’ve also written about all the places you can find practice MCQs.  Check out these 2 posts –>
  • SQE1 Sample Questions & Mock Exams: Free Practice Tests & Resources and
  • SQE1 Practice Questions & Mock Exams: Some Affordable Options.

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Best,

Lawyer in London