English level guide · CEFR C2
Reading Second Treatise of Government as a Proficient (C2) learner
Yes — at C2 (Proficient), Second Treatise of Government is a comfortable read you can enjoy at a natural pace, which makes it a good pick for building reading speed and stamina.
Updated June 2026
How Second Treatise of Government 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 long periodic sentences where the main point comes at the end.
At a glance
Key words at C2
Some of the C2-level words Second Treatise of Government by John Locke introduces. See the full word list →
- abridge/əˈbrɪʤ/C2
- reduce in scope while retaining essential elements
- adventitiousC2
- associated by chance and not an integral part
- aggrieve/əˈgriv/C2
- infringe on the rights of
- aliquotC2
- an integer that is an exact divisor of some quantity
- arrant/ˈærənt/C2
- without qualification
- begot/biˈgɔt/C2
- make children
- chasten/ˈʧeɪsən/C2
- censure severely
- conduceC2
- be conducive to
- conformableC2
- quick to comply
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.