Basic English: English-based controlled language

It has 850 words chosen by Charles Kay Ogden. Some articles in the Simple English Wiki (this website) use only BASIC English.

In 1937, Ogden hired Otto Neurath and Marie Neurath to make International Picture Language as one of eight books in BASIC English.

The word use of BASIC English is simpler and more regular than the word use of normal English. In normal English, words often have a number of different meanings. To make BASIC English easier, not all the meanings of a word are used.

BASIC English uses Ogden's rules of grammar. Ogden's rules of grammar let people use the 850 words to talk about things and events simply.

1. -s / -es / -ies change singular nouns into plural nouns.
2. -ing / -ed change verbs into adjectives.
3. -ing / -er change verbs into nouns.
4. -ly changes adjectives into adverbs.
5. -er / -est or more / most describe amounts.
6. un- changes adjectives into their opposites.
7. The opposite word order with do makes questions.
8. 'Operators' (verbs) and pronouns change as in normal English.
9. Make combined words (compounds) from two nouns ("football") or a noun and a direction ("sundown").
10. Measures, numbers, money, days, months, years, clock time, and international words are in English forms. Example for Date/Time: 20 May 1972 at 21:00
11. Use the words of an industry or science. For example, in this grammar, some special words are for teaching languages, and not part of BASIC English: plural, conjugation, noun, adjective, adverb, qualifier, operator, pronoun, and directive.

• BASIC English alphabetical wordlist
• BASIC English ordered wordlist
  • BASIC English picture wordlist – 200 Picturable words
• BASIC English international wordlist
• BASIC English compound wordlist
• BASIC English combined wordlist
• Related resources
  • List of simple adjectives
  • List of simple verbs
• Plain English Campaign
• International auxiliary language
• Simplified English
• Français fondamental