Story genres
Genre
Fantasy stories
Genre
Contemporary stories
Setting
An imaginary world e.g.
mysterious ice kingdom
Setting
Modern day, e.g. Whitley
high street on Tuesday
afternoon
Language
Very descriptive of the
unusual setting and
characters, e.g. A bizarre
Language
Everyday language,
maybe using slang in
places, e.g. “That is sick!”
beast with blood red eyes and
a foul stench arose from the
bubbling mud pit.
© www.teachitprimary.co.uk 2015
grunted the boy.
21994
Page 1 of 7
Story genres
Characters
Wizards, trolls, witches,
goblins, mermaids, fairies,
unicorns, etc.
The characters can generally
be described as good or evil.
Characters
Everyday people,
e.g. children, teenagers,
parents
Plot
Normally a battle
between good and evil
Plot
Covers current issues,
e.g. girlfriend/boyfriends,
divorce, work problems,
bullying
Genre
Mystery/horror stories
Genre
Adventure stories
© www.teachitprimary.co.uk 2015
21994
Page 2 of 7
Story genres
Setting
Setting
Locations that could be
isolated, abandoned or
unnerving, i.e. somewhere the
reader doesn’t feel safe
Setting is often quite simple to
focus the reader on the action
and may change as the story
develops
Language
Very descriptive of character
feelings. Use of short snappy
settings to heighten tension,
e.g. Suddenly, they heard the
Language
Lots of description of the
action scenes – using short
snappy sentences to show
the tension
floor creak behind them.
Characters
Often alone and
vulnerable, character(s) are
curious and tend to land
themselves in trouble
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Characters
Main character normally a
brave risk-taker, e.g.
Indiana Jones
21994
Page 3 of 7
Story genres
Plot
Character(s) are put in a
chilling situation which
they have to escape/solve
Plot
Saving a character in
danger, finding a lost piece
of treasure, etc.
Genre
Science fiction stories
Genre
Historical stories
Setting
On strange distant planets
or outer space
Setting
The past, e.g. London
during the Blitz
© www.teachitprimary.co.uk 2015
21994
Page 4 of 7
Story genres
Language
Language
Very descriptive, often
using words linked to the
time period, e.g. Spitfires
Lots of description of unusual
aliens or strange planets and
explanations of how futuristic
tools /machines work
Characters
People from the past, e.g.
an evacuee or World War
Two soldier
Characters
Aliens, spacemen,
robots, etc.
Plot
New discovery (e.g. a
planet), Battle (e.g. against
an alien spaceship), etc.
© www.teachitprimary.co.uk 2015
Plot
Often linked to real-life
events e.g. the start of
World War Two
21994
Page 5 of 7
Story genres
Teaching notes
Cut out the twenty four cards and shuffle. Deal out the cards to 6 - 4 players. The game is
played by the same rules as ’Happy families’, where the children must identify the genre their card
comes from (plot, setting, language or characters) and collect a whole set as set out below
Genre
Fantasy stories
Setting
An imaginary world e.g. mysterious ice kingdom
Language
Very descriptive of the unusual setting and characters, e.g. A bizarre beast with
blood red eyes and a foul stench arose from the bubbling mud pit.
Characters
Wizards, trolls, witches, goblins, mermaids, fairies, unicorns, etc.
The characters can generally be described as good or evil.
Plot
Normally a battle between good and evil
Genre
Contemporary stories
Setting
Modern day, e.g. Whitley high street on Tuesday afternoon
Language
Everyday language, maybe using slang in places, e.g. “That is sick!” grunted the
boy.
Characters
Everyday people, e.g. children, teenagers, parents
Plot
Covers current issues, e.g. girlfriend/boyfriends, divorce, work problems, bullying
Genre
Mystery/horror stories
Setting
Locations that could be isolated, abandoned or unnerving, i.e. somewhere the
reader doesn’t feel safe
Language
Very descriptive of character feelings. Use of short snappy settings to heighten
tension, e.g. Suddenly, they heard the floor creak behind them.
Characters
Often alone and vulnerable, character(s) are curious and tend to land themselves
in trouble.
Plot
Character(s) are put in a chilling situation which they have to escape/solve
© www.teachitprimary.co.uk 2015
21994
Page 6 of 7
Story genres
Genre
Adventure stories
Setting
Setting is often quite simple to focus the reader on the action and may change as
the story develops
Language
Lots of description of the action scenes – using short snappy sentences to show
the tension
Characters
Main character normally a brave risk-taker, e.g. Indiana Jones
Plot
Saving a character in danger, finding a lost piece of treasure, etc.
Genre
Science fiction stories
Setting
On strange distant planets or outer space
Language
Lots of description of unusual aliens or strange planets and explanations of how
futuristic tools /machines work
Characters
Aliens, spacemen, robots, etc.
Plot
New discovery (e.g. a planet), Battle (e.g. against an alien spaceship), etc.
Genre
Historical stories
Setting
The past, e.g. London during the Blitz
Language
Very descriptive, often using words linked to the time period, e.g. Spitfires
Characters
People from the past, e.g. an evacuee or World War Two soldier
Plot
Often linked to real-life events e.g. the start of World War Two
© www.teachitprimary.co.uk 2015
21994
Page 7 of 7