Identifying Genres

A piece of writing that shares facts about a topic.

• informational text

• mystery

• science fiction

• realistic fiction

A story of someone's life that is written by another person.

• biography

• fantasy

• adventure

• mythology

A story that contains characters and events that could not happen in real life and has no basis in science.

• mythology

• fantasy

• informational text

• science fiction

A story that tells of a person's life. It is written by the person who the story is about.

• fiction

• fantasy

• autobiography

• adventure

A story that is based on actual people, events or time periods in history. There may be made up characters or other elements not based on fact.

• realistic fiction

• science fiction

• folktales/tables

• historical fiction

A story in which main character faces exciting obstacles.

• autobiograph

• adventure

• mystery

• realistic fiction

A story that is about imaginary events or characters. The events could happen in real life. The characters can be like people in real life.

• realistic fiction

• science fiction

• historical fiction

• fantasy

A story that is created to explain natural occurrences that were puzzling to people in the past. They might explain which natural events occur and involve gods and goddesses.

• fantasy

• science fiction

• mythology

• adventure

A story that is based on a puzzling crime. The main character uses clues to solve the crime.

• adventure

• mystery

• science fiction

• biography

Short stories that passed around by word of mouth. They teach a moral or a lesson.

• folktales/fables

• realistic fiction

• historical fiction

• mystery