GENRES OF LITERATURE

Fiction Non-
Fiction

Poetry
 Fiction

Fantasy Historical Mystery

Fiction

Realistic Science Adventure

Fiction Fiction

Folktales

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 Non-
Fiction
Biography Autobiography Essay

Encyclopedia Textbook How-To

Magazine Research Almanac

Report
Brochure Newspaper Atlas

Memoir Editorial Advertisement

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 Poetry

Free Verse Structured

List poem Couplet
Poem of address Haiku
Narrative poem Cinquain
Diamante
Acrostic
Biopoem

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 Fiction
FANTASY
 A story that is imaginative, but could never really
happen. The setting may be of another world.
Characters might be magical.

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 Fiction
HISTORICAL FICTION
 A story that takes place in a historically accurate time
and setting. The characters and some events are
fictional.

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 Fiction
MYSTERY
 A story that usually involves suspense and the solving
of a crime. Clues are typically given throughout the
story to solve the mystery at the end of the book.

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 Fiction
REALISTIC FICTION
 A story that seems real or could happen in real life. It
is set in present day and includes modern day
problems and events.

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 Fiction
SCIENCE FICTION
 A story that is typically set in the future or on other
planets. It is based on the impact of actual, imagined,
or potential science.

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 Fiction
ADVENTURE
 A story where a protagonist and other major
characters and are placed in dangerous situations.
The characters must use their wit and skills to defeat
the antagonist.

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 Fiction
FOLKTALES
Fable

Fairy Tale

Legend

Tall Tale

Myth

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 Fiction:
FABLE Folktale

 A brief story that is meant to tell a lesson or a moral.

The characters are usually animals with human
characteristics.

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 Fiction:
FAIRY TALE Folktale

 A story that has magical elements. The characters are

usually fairies, giants, elves, and other magical
creatures.

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 Fiction:
LEGEND Folktale

 A story usually about a national or folk hero. This story

takes place in a particular time and place and is partly
true and partly fiction. The character traits of the hero
are typically exaggerated.

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 Fiction:
TALL TALE Folktale

 A humorous story with extreme exaggerations. The

main character, or hero, usually does impossible
things with ease.

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 Fiction:
MYTH Folktale

 A story that is often based on a historical event that is

meant to serve as an explanation for some
phenomenon of nature or human behavior. Characters
are usually gods.

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 Poetry:
LIST POEM Free Verse

 A poem that is based on a list or catalog of some sort.

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 Poetry:
POEM OF ADDRESS Free Verse

 A poem that is written to somebody or something. It is

not about that person or thing.

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 Poetry:
NARRATIVE POEM Free Verse

 A poem that is written from a different point of view.

First person poems use the word “I”. It is personal
because an individual is speaking to us. Second
person poems use the word “you”. It is intimate
because it is like speaking to someone in the room.
Third person poems use words such as “he”, “she”,
“it”, “they”, etc. It is like speaking to someone who is
not there with you.

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 Poetry:
COUPLET Structured

 A form of poetry that uses two lines that rhyme.

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 Poetry:
HAIKU Structured

 A type of poetry from the Japanese culture. It consists

of three lines. The first line has five syllables, the
second has seven syllables, and the third has five
syllables. Haiku does not rhyme. It is meant to paint a
mental image. Haikus are typically about nature.

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 Poetry:
CINQUAIN Structured

 A cinquain is a five line poem.

 Line 1: one word (subject or noun)
 Line 2: two words (adjectives) that describe line 1
 Line 3: three words (action verbs) that relate to line
1
 Line 4: four words (feelings or a complete
sentence) that relates to line 1
 Line 5: one word (synonym of line 1 or a word that
sums it up)

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 Poetry:
DIAMANTE Structured

 A seven line poem in the shape of a diamond.

 Line 1: one word (subject/noun that is contrasting to line
7)
 Line 2: two words (adjectives) that describe line 1
 Line 3: three words (action verbs) that relate to line 1
 Line 4: four words (nouns) first 2 words relate to line 1
last 2 words relate to line 7
 Line 5: three words (action verbs) that relate to line 7
 Line 6: two words (adjectives) that describe line 7
 Line 7: one word ( subject/noun that is contrasting to line
1)

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 Poetry:
ACROSTIC Structured

 A poem in which the first letters of each line spell a

special word.

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 Poetry:
BIOPOEM Structured

 A poem in which a person is described in eleven lines.

 (First name)-
 (Four adjectives)
 (Brother of or Sister of)
 Lover of (three different things that the person loves)
 Who feels (three different feelings and when or where they are felt)
 Who gives (three different things the person gives)
 Who fears (three different fears the person has)
 Who would like to see (three different things the person would like to see)
 Who lives (a brief description of where the person lives)
 -(Last name)

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 Non-
BIOGRAPHY Fiction

 A history of someone’s life, or part of someone’s life.

This is a true story about a real person.

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AUTOBIOGRAPHY Fiction

 A biography written by a person about his/her own life

and history.

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ESSAY Fiction

 A short composition, usually written from the author’s

point of view. Essays can be persuasive, comparative,
literary criticism, political manifestos, arguments,
observations, recollections, or reflections.

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HOW-TO Fiction

 An instructional form of writing that demonstrates how

to do a task, activity, procedure, etc.

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TEXTBOOK Fiction

 A manual of instruction or standard book in any

branch of study. Textbooks are usually written
according to educational demands.

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ENCYCLOPEDIA Fiction

 A comprehensive written work that is used as a

reference. It contains articles on various topics and
branches of knowledge.

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MAGAZINE Fiction

 A periodical that contains articles, pictures,

advertisements, stories, etc. that is published on a
regular schedule.

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RESEARCH REPORT Fiction

 An informational, objective piece of writing based on

multiple accurate references.

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ALMANAC Fiction

 An annual publication that contains tabular

information in a particular field(s) according to the
calendar. Information such as astronomical data, the
rising and setting of the sun and moon, eclipses, hours
of the tide, etc.

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NEWSPAPER Fiction

 A publication containing news, information, current

events, and advertising. There are feature articles on
topics such as political events, crime, business,
art/entertainment, society, and sports. Many
newspapers also include some editorial columns.
Other sections include advertising, comics, and
coupons.

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ATLAS Fiction

 A collection of maps of Earth, or parts of Earth. The

atlas presents geographic features, political
boundaries, and geopolitical, social, religious, and
economic statistics.

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MEMOIR Fiction

 A type of an autobiography. It is a writer’s own

account of one or two important events and is told in
the first person. It is descriptive and highly personal.

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BROCHURE Fiction

 A pamphlet or leaflet advertisement. Brochures may

advertise locations, events, hotels, products, services,
etc. They are usually brief in language and have an
eye-catching design.

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EDITORIAL Fiction

 An article that is usually in a newspaper or magazine,

or on television or the radio. This article expresses the
author’s personal opinion and view on a particular
topic.

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ADVERTISEMENT Fiction

 A public promotion of a product or service. It is a form

of communication used to help sell these products or
services. It usually describes how the products or
services can benefit the customer.

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