The World English Bible began as a public-domain revision of the American Standard Version. Its stated work included replacing archaic forms and checking grammar, wording and textual questions. The project therefore inherits much of the ASV’s structure while making new choices for contemporary readers.
The aim was not to create another historical English version. The WEB seeks language that can be read aloud and understood without first translating early twentieth-century grammar. That project goal explains why an ASV comparison is useful: both versions share a base, but they do not present identical English or textual decisions.