Fiction or Nonfiction Study Guide

Fiction or Nonfiction

In this lesson, you'll learn that some stories are true and some are made up by writers!

FICTION IS A story an author makes up.

Nonfiction is information based on facts about the real world. Here are some ways you can tell the difference.

Sometimes, fiction may seem like nonfiction because the author writes about people, places, or events that you know are real.

Example 1

The astronaut left the life capsule and followed the slimy tracks across the surface of Mars.

Example 2

Did you ever wonder if there really could be life on Mars? Yesterday, scientists at NASA sent a space probe to find out.

Genre is a word that means "kind" or "variety." There are many different genres of fiction and nonfiction. Here's how to identify a few.

Practice exercises for this study guide can be found at:

Fiction or Nonfiction Practice Exercises