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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 or Dutch, English does not have a governing body (see Académie française, Dutch Language Union) 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 two most common internationally recognized varieties of standard English are American English and Commonwealth English (also known as British English). However, the various historical migrations of English-speaking populations, colonization and attendant effects such as creolization, the use of English as a lingua franca or trade language and its widespread use internationally has given rise to many local varieties of English.

It should be noted that Standard English is a dialect and not an accent: that is, Standard English refers to the words themselves and not to their pronunciation.