During the English Renaissance, which took place from the 15th to the 17th century, the literature was primarily written in modern English. This was a period of significant cultural and intellectual growth in England, and writers such as William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, and Edmund Spenser emerged during this time. Modern English had evolved from Middle English, which was the language spoken in England before the Renaissance, and it became the dominant language for literature and communication. Latin, although still used in some scholarly works, was not the primary language for English Renaissance literature.