Old English VS Middle English

Difference Between Old and Middle English

Old English is the earliest historical form of the English language.

Middle English developed out of Old English after the Norman Conquest in 1066.

Period

Old English was used from 400s to 1100s.

Middle English was used from the 1100s to 1400s.

Syntax

Old English did not have a fixed word order.

Middle English began to have a fixed word order.

Grammar – Inflections

Old English nouns, pronouns, adjectives and verbs have many inflectional forms and endings.

Middle English simplified many inflectional forms of nouns, adjectives and verbs.

Grammar – Case

Old English had dative and instrumental cases.

Middle English moved to prepositional constructions.

Relation to Modern English

Old English is very different from Modern English. A modern English speaker cannot understand it without study.

Middle English is somewhat similar to Modern English than Old English.