Standard English

Form of English that in its grammar, syntax, vocabulary, and spelling system is the accepted form in speaking and writing. It is the form of English recognized as most appropriate for formal situations and is used widely in public and professional life. It does not identify the speaker or writer with a particular geographical area or social grouping. In Britain, the accent associated with Standard English is received pronunciation, but these are not the same thing. All forms of slang, dialect, and grammatical deviation are non-Standard.

In multi-cultural society, non-Standard accents and word forms are increasingly accepted and promoted in the mass media, and the concepts of Standard English and received pronunciation as standards of correctness have become less important, and are possibly seen as elitist.