Meaning & use
literary genre
Last updated
UK/ˈlɪtərəri ˈʒɒnrə/
US/ˈlɪtəreri ˈʒɑːnrə/
Meaning
nouncountable
A recognized category of writing grouped by shared form, style, subject, or technique.
Grammar: Takes an and a regular plural; often modified by adjectives such as fiction or emerging.
Patterns
- a literary genre
- belong to a literary genre
- cross literary genres
Detective fiction is a literary genre built around investigation and suspense.
The course asks students to compare one literary genre with another.
Word forms
| plural | literary genres |
|---|
Common combinations
- a new literary genre
- The novelist helped create a new literary genre blending memoir and thriller.
- belong to a literary genre
- Ghost stories belong to a literary genre with old roots.
- cross literary genres
- The book crosses literary genres without losing clarity.
- conventions of a literary genre
- Readers expect certain conventions of a literary genre like romance.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- literary adjective
- Relating to literature or a refined written style.
- genre fiction noun
- Popular fiction organized by types such as mystery, fantasy, or romance.
Commonly confused: literary genre or literary movement?
literary genre vs literary movement
A genre is a category of works; a movement is a group of writers sharing aims in a period.
Practice
Which phrase is most natural?
Choose one answer.
A type of writing is a literary genre. Grammar, syllable, and comma are parts of language, not categories of literature.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “literary genre”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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