What the SQE2 Is Really Testing (And Why So Many Candidates Misjudge It)

If you ask most candidates what the SQE2 is testing, you’ll usually hear one of two answers: “It’s a skills exam.” “It’s about practical lawyering.” Both are true — but also incomplete. The biggest reason candidates underperform in SQE2 isn’t lack of intelligence or effort. It’s that they misunderstand what the exam is actually designed to assess. As a result, they prepare for the wrong exam. The SQE2 is not testing whether you are clever. It’s not testing whether you can just read, write and speak. It’s not testing whether you can just memorise textbooks. It’s not testing whether you sound impressive. The SQE2 is testing whether you can perform as a day-one solicitor under pressure. And that requires a very specific mix of knowledge, judgement, communication, and execution. Let’s break down what the SQE2 is really testing — and where so many candidates go wrong.   1. SQE2 Is Testing Whether You Can Recall and Use the Law — Not Just Recognise It One of the most common misconceptions is that SQE2 is a “pure skills exam” and that FLK (functioning legal knowledge) is mainly for SQE1. In reality, SQE2 assumes you already know the law — and expects you to use it fluently, from memory, in real-world scenarios. You are tested on whether you can: recall legal principles instantly explain them clearly apply them accurately use them to solve a client’s problem There are no multiple-choice prompts. No recognition-based answers. No open-book safety net. If you can only recognise the law when you see it written down, you are not SQE2-ready. You need to be able to retrieve it, explain it, and deploy it under time pressure. That’s why active recall is not optional for SQE2 preparation — it is fundamental.   2. SQE2 Is Testing Your Professional Judgement In academic exams, you are rewarded for showing everything you know. In SQE2, you are rewarded for knowing what matters. You are being tested on whether you can: identify the real legal issues prioritise the important risks ignore irrelevant detail give practical, proportionate advice This is why candidates often lose marks even when their legal knowledge is sound. They write long answers that miss the point, overanalyse minor issues, or fail to give clear advice. The exam is asking: “Can this person be trusted with a real client?” That means exercising judgement, not just knowledge.   3. SQE2 Is Testing Your Ability to Communicate Like a Solicitor Many candidates write answers that sound academically impressive — but would be useless to a real client. SQE2 rewards: clarity over complexity structure over waffle explanation over jargon solutions over theory You are being assessed on whether you can: explain legal concepts in plain English communicate calmly and professionally guide a client through options and risks give advice that is understandable and actionable If your answer leaves the reader none the wiser, you will not score well — no matter how clever it sounds.   4. SQE2 Is Testing Your Ability to Perform Under Pressure This is where many strong candidates struggle. You may understand the law. You may know the structures. You may perform well in relaxed practice. But SQE2 adds: strict time limits closed-book conditions cumulative fatigue performance anxiety multi-day assessments The exam is not testing whether you can do the task eventually. It’s testing whether you can do it on demand. That’s why timed mock practice is so important. You are training execution, not just understanding.   5. SQE2 Is Testing Whether You Can Operate Like a Junior Solicitor At its core, the SQE2 is a professional competence exam. It is designed to answer one question: “Is this person safe to practise as a solicitor?” That means assessing whether you can: take instructions properly identify legal issues apply the law accurately communicate clearly exercise judgement manage time stay calm under pressure It is not about perfection. It is about competence.   Why So Many Candidates Misjudge the Exam Most candidates misjudge SQE2 because they prepare like students instead of training like solicitors. They focus on: passive reading endless note-making untimed practice legal theory over legal application knowledge without performance They feel busy — but their exam skills don’t improve. The candidates who pass understand that SQE2 preparation is about: active recall structure memorisation exam conditioning performance training judgement-building They don’t just revise. They train.   Final Thoughts The SQE2 is not trying to trick you. It is not trying to catch you out. It is not trying to fail you. It is trying to assess whether you can step into practice and function safely and competently. If your preparation reflects that reality — you give yourself the best possible chance of success.