Inside Language, Literacy, and Content [Level C]

Focus on Genre: Fiction and Nonfiction

There are two major kinds of text: fiction and nonfiction. Fiction is written to entertain the reader. It is a made-up story with events that form a plot. Nonfiction is usually written to inform or explain. It includes facts that can be proved.

How It Works

Before you read, preview the text to determine if it is fiction or nonfiction. This will tell you whether the text tells a story or gives facts.

Fiction The events in fiction are the plot. The characters are the people or animals that create the action. The writer also may include dialogue.

An Exciting Day

It is a lazy day at the lake. Even the fish are too lazy to swim. Josephina sighs. “Nothing exciting ever happens,” she says.

Just then, a huge wind roars. Josephina has to tie her shoelaces to a tree to stay put. The wind blows until the entire lake, fish and all, is gone.

Then a thick, black cloud moves overhead. Like a sponge being squeezed out, the cloud dumps rain and fills the lake again.

“Well,” Josephina exclaims. “That was exciting,” she says.

Nonfiction Nonfiction writing gives facts about a topic. Writers organize the information to make it clear and easy to understand. For example, a writer may state the main idea about the topic. Then the writer gives details that tell more about the main idea.