SQE1 sample questions

SQE1 is the first part of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination and assesses the application of functioning legal knowledge. The assessment consists of two parts: FLK1 and FLK2, each containing 180 single best answer multiple choice questions.

Learn more about the SQE1 Assessment Specification

Learn more about single best answer questions in SQE1


Purpose of the sample questions

The sample questions are designed to illustrate the type of questions you can expect on the FLK1 and FLK2 assessments. They are designed to help both education providers and candidates plan their training and prepare for the assessments.

While the sample questions represent the types of questions used, they do not cover all assessment material contained in the FLK and are not designed to be a full mock exam. SQE1 is a timed and closed book assessment, which cannot be fully replicated by working through the sample questions.

As part of their preparation, candidates should be mindful of the assessment time limits: each FLK assessment is split into two sessions of 90 questions each, with 2 hours and 33 minutes per session. This averages to about 1.7 minutes per question, though some questions may require more or less time.


Sample question data

The sample questions are presented in two sets. This is to allow candidates to view the questions that have previously been used in an SQE1 assessment, along with some performance data, separately to the original set.

Original sample questions

The original 90 sample questions were released prior to the first sitting of SQE1 in November 2021. These questions were taken from the SQE1 question bank and were written following the same process as the questions appearing in an SQE1 assessment.

Pre-tested sample questions

A further 130 SQE1 sample questions have since been released. These questions have all been used in SQE1 assessments and have been selected to be representative of the SQE1 assessments, both in terms of their difficulty and length.

Data

The below tables show the average score (i.e the percentage of candidates that answered the question correctly) and question length of the 130 pre-tested sample questions compared with data from the actual SQE1 assessments (to and including SQE1 July 2025).

Difficulty (percentage of candidates answering correctly)

Length of the questions


Try out the sample questions

The SQE1 sample questions are available in English and Welsh as online and PDF versions.

The candidate score for each question (i.e the percentage of candidates that answered the question correctly) is shown as a rounded percentage as follows:

  • In the PDF versions, in the answer grid at the end of the questions
  • In the online versions, next to each answer in the relevant drop down

Online versions

Please note that the online versions are in the process of being built and do not yet contain the newly released 50 sample questions or the candidate score. The PDF versions contain the full set, including the newly released 50 questions and candidate scores.

Original set of sample questions (90: Q1-45 for each FLK)

Pre-tested sample questions (80: Q46-85 for each FLK)

PDF versions

Original set of sample questions (90: Q1-45 for each FLK)

Pre-tested sample questions (130: Q46-110 for each FLK)

Try out the exam functionality

Experience a demonstration of the SQE1 exam interface and sample questions, available in both English and Welsh:

Try SQE1 exam functionality on Pearson VUE (English)

Try SQE1 exam functionality on Pearson VUE (Welsh)


SQE1 structure

SQE1 consists of two assessments, FLK1 and FLK2, each with 180 questions covering:

  • FLK1: Business Law and Practice; Dispute Resolution; Contract Law; Tort; Legal System of England and Wales; Constitutional and Administrative Law and EU Law (collectively referred to as ‘Legal System’); Legal Services.
  • FLK2: Property Law and Practice; Wills and the Administration of Estates; Solicitors Accounts; Land Law; Trusts Law; Criminal Liability; Criminal Law and Practice.

Ethics and Professional Conduct questions are examined pervasively throughout both assessments.


Law and practice cut off date

The cut off date for the law and practice upon which candidates are examined in the SQE will be four calendar months prior to the date of the first assessment in an assessment window.

We keep the law and practice relevant to the sample questions under review and are aware that the law and practice can change within the four month period referred to above. The sample questions will always reflect the law and practice that is examinable in the upcoming SQE1 assessment. If there is a change in the law or practice within the four month period before an assessment, the sample questions will be amended to reflect the change after that assessment.


The SQE1 pass mark

The pass marks for assessments in each SQE1 sitting are set by the Assessment Board, considering the difficulty of the questions in that sitting to maintain consistent standards across sittings. Each FLK paper has its own pass mark.

You can find more information about this in our video - How the pass mark for SQE1 is set - which was originally delivered as part of the April 2025 SQE annual conference and Section 1 of the Marking and Standard setting policy.

To view previous pass marks, please refer to the SQE1 statistical reports.


SQE1 papers and randomisation

There are multiple FLK papers in any SQE1 sitting. Questions and answers (the options) are randomised. Therefore candidates will see questions in a different order to other candidates. The options are likely to appear in a different order too. This is to help maintain the security and integrity of the assessment.


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Have you passed the SQE?

Find out what happens after passing the SQE and admission to the roll of solicitors.

Learn more

Ready to register for the SQE?

Create your personal SQE account and book your assessments.

Register for SQE 

Have you passed the SQE?

Find out what happens after passing the SQE and admission to the roll of solicitors.

Learn more about Have you passed the SQE?