Reading Romeo and Juliet as a Proficient (C2) learner

How Romeo and Juliet reads at C2

Because most of the language is already within reach at C2, you can read for the story rather than decoding it — a good way to lock in vocabulary you half-know and pick up reading speed. Watch especially for iambic pentameter and how meaning fits the verse line.

At a glance

Key words at C2

Some of the C2-level words Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare introduces. See the full word list →

abroachC2

of a cask or barrel

addle/ˈædəl/C2

mix up or confuse

adjoin/əˈʤɔɪn/C2

lie adjacent to another or share a boundary

affrightC2

an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety

angelicalC2

of or relating to angels

awearyC2

physically and mentally fatigued

bedeck/bɪˈdɛk/C2

decorate

beggarlyC2

marked by poverty befitting a beggar

beggaryC2

a solicitation for money or food (especially in the street by an apparently penniless person)

What C2 readers can do

• Read virtually all forms of written English with ease.
• Understand abstract, structurally complex, or highly idiomatic texts.
• Appreciate fine shades of meaning and older or specialised language.