What language does modern English come from?

Modern English comes from Old English, which was spoken in England from roughly the 5th to the 12th centuries.

Here's a breakdown:

* Old English was heavily influenced by Anglo-Saxon languages spoken by Germanic tribes who settled in Britain.

* Middle English (12th to 15th centuries) saw a significant influx of Norman French words after the Norman Conquest in 1066. This is why we have so many pairs of words with similar meanings, like "king" (Old English) and "royal" (French).

* Modern English evolved from Middle English and is still influenced by other languages, including Latin, Greek, and more recently, American English.

So, while Old English is the direct ancestor of Modern English, it's not a simple case of one language morphing into the other. Modern English is a blend of many languages, with Old English forming a strong foundation.