Literary Genres and Subgenres

Authors of stories in this genre are often “retelling” the story. It may say “adapted by,” “retold by,” or the author may be “unknown”

• Fiction  
• Nonfiction    
• Folklore  
• Drama

Tags

CCSS.RL.1.10

CCSS.RL.2.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

CCSS.RL.K.5

Most stories fall into this genre, which means that the text is made-up or a product of the imagination

• Fiction
• Poetry
• Folklore
• Drama

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.5.5

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

The two subgenres of this main genre include tragedy and comedy

•  Drama    
• Poetry
• Fiction
• Nonfiction

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.7.5

CCSS.RL.7.7

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.3

Writing that is “true,” factual, informative or persuasive

• Fiction
• Nonfiction
• Folklore
• Drama

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

CCSS.RL.9-10.3

Very short stories with talking animals and a moral

• Fairy Tale
• Legend
• Myth
• Fable

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.8.9

Stories with magic and/or talking animals, usually have a human main character and start with “one upon a time”

• Fairy Tale
• Myth
• Legend
• Fable

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.8.9

Stories with gods and/or goddesses that usually account for the creations of something

• Legend
• Myth
• Fairy Tale
• Tall Tale

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.8.9

Stories that could actually happen but didn’t

• Fantasy
• Science Fiction
• Realistic Fiction
• Nonfiction

Stories with aliens, advance technology, of futuristic weapons

• Fantasy
• Science Fiction
• Realistic Fiction
• Nonfiction

Fictional stories based on or around important people or events from the past

• Realistic Fiction
• Nonfiction
• Fantasy
• Historical Fiction