How to Answer Law Problem Questions: The Complete IRAC Guide

Problem questions are the backbone of UK law exams. Unlike essay questions, which ask you to argue a position on a legal issue, problem questions present a fictional scenario and ask you to apply the law to the facts. They test a fundamentally different skill: not whether you can discuss the law in the abstract, but whether you can use it as a practising lawyer would — to advise a client, identify claims, and predict outcomes.

The students who score highest on problem questions are not those who know the most law. They are those who can identify the right issues, state the relevant rules precisely, and apply those rules to the specific facts — rather than writing a general essay about the topic. This guide breaks down the entire process, from reading the question to writing your conclusion, with worked examples that show exactly what examiners reward.

Step 1: Understand What Examiners Are Testing

Before diving into technique, it helps to understand what a problem question is actually designed to assess. Examiners are testing four distinct skills, and your answer must demonstrate all four:

1. Issue identification: Can you spot the legal issues hidden in the facts? This is the skill that separates students who understand the law from those who have merely memorised it. Every fact in the problem is there for a reason — your job is to work out what legal issue each fact raises.
2. Legal knowledge: Do you know the relevant rules, cases, and statutes? You must state the law accurately and with authority. Vague references to "the law says..." without citing a case or statute will not earn marks.
3. Application: Can you apply the law to the facts? This is the most heavily weighted skill and the one most students neglect. Stating the law is necessary but not sufficient — you must explain how it applies to the specific scenario.
4. Judgment: Can you reach a reasoned conclusion? Examiners want to see that you can weigh competing arguments and predict the likely outcome, just as a solicitor advising a client would.

How Problem Questions Differ From Essays

The most common mistake students make is treating a problem question like an essay. In an essay, you argue a thesis and evaluate the law critically. In a problem question, you apply the law to facts and advise on outcomes. The table below clarifies the key differences:

Step 2: Read the Question Strategically

Reading a problem question is not the same as reading a story. You need to read it like a lawyer — actively, analytically, and with a pen in hand. Here is the approach that consistently produces the best results:

First Read: Get the Overview

Read the entire problem from start to finish without stopping. Do not try to identify issues yet. Just understand the scenario: who are the parties, what happened, and what are you being asked to do? Pay special attention to the instruction at the end — "Advise Tom", "Discuss the criminal liability of Sarah", "Consider whether a binding contract has been formed". This instruction tells you exactly what your answer must address.

Second Read: Annotate the Facts

Read again, this time underlining or highlighting every fact that might be legally significant. Every detail in a well-drafted problem question is there for a reason. If the examiner mentions that a sign was "partially obscured by a bush", that fact is relevant — probably to whether reasonable notice of an exclusion clause was given. If they mention that a party was "17 years old", capacity is in play. Train yourself to ask: Why has the examiner included this fact?

Third Read: Map the Issues

On your third read, write a quick list of the legal issues you have identified. This list becomes the skeleton of your answer. Order the issues logically — usually chronologically (following the sequence of events in the problem) or by party (if you are advising multiple people). Each issue on your list will become a separate IRAC section in your answer.

Step 3: Master the IRAC Method

IRAC — Issue, Rule, Application, Conclusion — is the standard framework for answering problem questions in UK law schools. It is not a rigid formula, but a logical structure that ensures you address every element the examiner is looking for. The best answers use IRAC as a skeleton and build sophisticated analysis around it.

I — Issue: Frame It as a Question

Begin each section by identifying the specific legal issue raised by the facts. Frame it as a question or a concise statement: "The first issue is whether David's advertisement constitutes a valid offer or merely an invitation to treat." This signals to the examiner that you have identified the issue and are about to address it systematically. Do not waste words on preamble — get straight to the point.

R — Rule: State the Law With Authority

State the relevant legal rule, citing the leading case and its ratio decidendi. If a statute applies, cite the specific section. The key here is precision: do not say "the law says that offers must be communicated" — say "an offer must be communicated to the offeree to be effective (Taylor v Laird (1856) 25 LJ Ex 329)". Where the law is settled, one or two authorities are sufficient. Where it is contested or has developed over time, trace the key cases briefly.

A common mistake is spending too long on the rule. Remember: the rule section should be roughly 25% of each IRAC block. State the law clearly and move on to application — that is where the marks are.

A — Application: Where Marks Are Won

Application is the most important part of your answer and should constitute roughly half of each IRAC section. This is where you take the rule you have just stated and apply it to the specific facts of the problem. The technique involves three elements:

1. Use the facts as evidence. Do not just say "the postal rule applies". Say "Jane posted her acceptance on Monday, and under the postal rule established in Adams v Lindsell (1818), acceptance takes effect on posting, not on receipt. Therefore, the contract was formed on Monday, before David's attempted revocation on Tuesday."
2. Draw analogies with decided cases. If the facts are similar to a decided case, say so explicitly: "The facts here closely resemble Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Co [1893], where the court held that a specific promise in an advertisement constituted a unilateral offer." If the facts are distinguishable, explain why: "Unlike Partridge v Crittenden, where the advertisement used the words 'for sale' without specifying terms, here David's advertisement names a specific price and a specific condition."
3. Consider both sides. The strongest answers acknowledge the counter-argument before reaching a conclusion. "The defendant might argue that the advertisement was merely an invitation to treat, relying on Partridge v Crittenden. However, the specificity of the terms distinguishes this case..."

C — Conclusion: Commit to an Outcome

After applying the law to the facts, state your conclusion clearly. Do not sit on the fence with "it depends" — examiners want to see that you can weigh the arguments and predict the likely outcome. Use confident but appropriately qualified language: "On balance, a court would likely hold that..." or "It is submitted that the claimant would succeed because..." If the law is genuinely uncertain, acknowledge this, but still indicate which outcome you consider more probable and why.

Step 4: Develop Your Issue-Spotting Skills

Issue-spotting is the skill that most clearly separates first-class answers from average ones. A student who identifies five issues and analyses each thoroughly will always outscore a student who identifies three issues and writes more about each. The examiner has a mark scheme with specific issues listed — you can only earn marks for the issues you spot.

Every Fact Is a Clue

Problem question drafters do not include irrelevant facts. If the question mentions that a party is a minor, capacity is an issue. If it mentions that a conversation took place "in the pub after several drinks", there may be an issue about intention to create legal relations or intoxication. If it mentions that terms were "on the back of a ticket", incorporation of terms is being tested. Train yourself to treat every fact as a potential legal issue.

Work Through the Elements Systematically

For each area of law, there is a checklist of elements that must be satisfied. In contract formation, the checklist is: offer, acceptance, consideration, intention to create legal relations, and capacity. In negligence, it is: duty of care, breach, causation (factual and legal), and remoteness of damage. Work through each element against the facts. If an element is clearly satisfied, deal with it briefly. If it is contested, that is where you should spend your time.

Look for the "Hidden" Issue

Most problem questions contain one issue that is less obvious than the others — a subtle point that separates the best students from the rest. This might be a defence that is not immediately apparent, a secondary claim that arises from the same facts, or a procedural point about limitation periods. The hidden issue is often signalled by an unusual or specific fact that does not seem to fit the main issues. When you spot a fact like this, ask yourself: what legal issue could this possibly raise?

Step 5: Decode the Instruction

The instruction at the end of the problem question is not decoration — it tells you exactly how to structure your answer. Different instructions require different approaches:

Getting the instruction wrong is a costly mistake. If the question says "Advise Tom", your entire answer should be written from Tom's perspective — his potential claims, the defences he might face, and the remedies available to him. If it says "Discuss the liability of all parties", you need to cover every party's position, which requires a different structure.

Step 6: See IRAC in Action — A Worked Example

Theory is useful, but seeing IRAC applied to a real problem is where the technique clicks. Below is a worked example showing how to structure a complete answer to a negligence problem question. Notice how each element of IRAC is clearly present, how the facts are used as evidence, and how the conclusion follows logically from the application.

Notice several things about this answer. First, it dives straight into the issue — no introduction, no preamble. Second, the rule section cites specific cases with full citations. Third, the application section is the longest part and uses the facts as evidence throughout. Fourth, the conclusion is decisive and practical. This is the structure that earns first-class marks.

Step 7: Avoid the Mistakes That Cost Marks

After years of marking problem question answers, certain patterns emerge. The mistakes below are not obscure pitfalls — they are the most frequent reasons students score lower than their knowledge deserves. Eliminating even two or three of these from your writing can push your grade up by a full classification band.

The "Knowledge Dump" Trap

The most damaging habit is writing everything you know about a topic rather than answering the specific question. If the problem raises an issue about offer and acceptance, do not write about consideration, intention to create legal relations, and promissory estoppel unless the facts raise those issues too. Examiners call this "shotgunning" — spraying legal knowledge in every direction and hoping something hits the target. It signals panic, not competence, and it wastes time you could spend on detailed application.

Step 8: Advanced Techniques for First-Class Answers

Once you have mastered the basics of IRAC, these advanced techniques will push your answers from solid 2:1 territory into first-class:

Distinguish Cases Explicitly

When a case is similar but not identical to the facts, explain the distinction: "Unlike Stilk v Myrick [1809], where the sailors were merely performing their existing contractual duty, here the builder agreed to additional work beyond the original contract. This factual distinction brings the case within the Williams v Roffey Bros [1991] practical benefit principle." Distinguishing cases demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of how precedent works.

Address Alternative Arguments

The strongest answers consider what happens if the court disagrees with your primary argument: "If, contrary to the above analysis, the court holds that no valid offer was made, Tom may alternatively argue that a collateral contract arose from David's oral assurance, following Shanklin Pier v Detel Products [1951]." This shows the examiner that you can think like a lawyer — always having a fallback position.

Use Policy Where Appropriate

In borderline cases, a brief reference to policy can strengthen your conclusion: "A court would likely extend the duty of care here, consistent with the policy of protecting vulnerable consumers articulated by Lord Atkin in Donoghue v Stevenson [1932]." Policy arguments should supplement your legal analysis, not replace it — but in genuinely uncertain cases, they can tip the balance.

Manage Your Time

In an exam, time management is critical. Allocate your time in proportion to the marks available for each issue. If a problem question is worth 25 marks and you have identified five issues, spend roughly equal time on each — unless the mark scheme suggests otherwise. If you are running out of time, write brief IRAC paragraphs for the remaining issues rather than leaving them blank. A short, structured answer on an issue will always score more than no answer at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the IRAC method in law?

IRAC stands for Issue, Rule, Application, Conclusion. It is the standard framework for answering law problem questions in UK universities. You identify the legal issue raised by the facts, state the relevant rule with case or statutory authority, apply that rule to the specific facts of the problem, and reach a conclusion on the likely outcome. The application stage is the most important and should constitute roughly half of each section. For essay questions, use the PEAL method instead.

How do I spot issues in a law problem question?

Read the problem at least three times. On the first read, understand the scenario. On the second, underline every legally significant fact. On the third, map each fact to a specific legal issue. Every fact in a well-drafted problem is there for a reason — if the examiner mentions a party's age, capacity is an issue; if they mention a sign, notice or incorporation is being tested. Work through the elements of the relevant area of law systematically (e.g., for negligence: duty, breach, causation, remoteness) and check each against the facts.

How many cases should I cite in a problem question answer?

Cite the leading authority for each rule you state — typically one or two cases per issue. For a standard problem question with four to five issues, you might cite 8–15 cases in total. The key is that every case must be applied to the facts, not just mentioned. One well-applied case is worth more than three cases that are merely listed. Always cite the case name and year; include the law report reference if you can remember it, but do not worry if you cannot — the name and year are sufficient in an exam.

Should I write an introduction for a problem question?

No. Unlike essay questions, problem questions do not need an introduction. Dive straight into the first legal issue. Opening with "In order to advise Tom, it is necessary to consider several areas of law..." wastes valuable time and tells the examiner nothing useful. Your first sentence should identify the first issue: "The first issue is whether Sarah's advertisement constitutes a valid offer or merely an invitation to treat." This approach is more efficient and signals confidence.

What if the law is unclear or the answer could go either way?

This is often deliberate — the examiner wants to see how you handle uncertainty. Present both sides of the argument, explain the strengths and weaknesses of each position, and then commit to the outcome you consider more likely: "On balance, it is submitted that a court would likely find in favour of the claimant, because..." Acknowledging uncertainty while still reaching a reasoned conclusion demonstrates the kind of judgment that examiners reward. Avoid "it depends" without further analysis — that is not a conclusion.

How is a problem question marked differently from an essay?

Problem questions are typically marked against a checklist of issues. The examiner has a list of the legal issues raised by the facts, and your mark depends on how many you identify and how well you analyse each one. Application of law to facts is weighted most heavily — typically 40–50% of the marks. Accurate statement of the law accounts for roughly 25–30%, issue identification for 15–20%, and conclusions for 10–15%. This is why detailed application is so critical: it is where the most marks are available.

Can I use IRAC for SQE exam questions?

The SQE1 exam uses single best answer (SBA) multiple-choice questions, so you do not write IRAC answers in the traditional sense. However, the thinking process behind IRAC is exactly what SQE1 tests: can you identify the issue, recall the rule, apply it to the facts, and select the correct conclusion? For SQE2, which involves written skills assessments, IRAC-style structured analysis is directly applicable. Our free SQE1 practice exam lets you test this approach under timed conditions.

Put It All Together

Answering problem questions well is a skill that improves with practice — and the fastest way to improve is to write answers, get feedback, and refine your technique. The IRAC framework gives you a reliable structure; the issue-spotting techniques ensure you do not miss marks; and the application skills ensure you earn them. Every student who consistently applies these principles will see their problem question scores improve.

The key insight is that problem questions reward precision over breadth. A focused, well-applied answer that covers the main issues thoroughly will always outscore a sprawling answer that mentions everything but applies nothing. Start with the facts, identify the issues, apply the law, and reach a conclusion — and you will be writing the kind of answers that earn first-class marks.

Want to see how your problem question technique measures up? Upload an answer to our AI essay marker and get paragraph-by-paragraph feedback with specific suggestions for improving your IRAC structure, case law usage, and application depth. Your first essay is marked free.