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Standard English

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Dialects and accents of Modern English by continent
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Standard English is a general term for a form of written and spoken English that is considered the model for educated people. There are no set rules or vocabulary for "standard English" because, unlike languages such as French, English does not have a governing body (see Académie française) to establish usage. As a result, the concept of "standard English" tends to be fluid. Various regional and national "standards" exist.

The issue is particularly complicated because English has become the most widely used language in the world, and therefore it is the language most subject to alteration by non-native speakers.

The three most common internationally recognized varieties of standard English are Australian English, American English, and English (as spoken in England) (also known as Commonwealth English). However, opposition to these three varieties, which are often too closely associated with their countries of origin, has given rise to many local Englishes. See Varieties of English on the right.