| A | B |
| short story | a brief, imaginative narrative |
| setting | time and place of the story |
| plot | a sequence of events |
| conflict | struggle between opposing forces |
| internal conflict | a character's struggle with himself |
| external conflict | a character's struggle with another person, the environment, society or fate |
| characters | the people, animals, or creatures who carry out the action of the story |
| protagonist | the main character who strives to resolve the conflict |
| antagonist | fights against the main character; the villain |
| mood | the author's feelings toward the subject, which are conveyed through word choice |
| theme | the author's message in the story |
| suspense | the feeling of excitement or curiosity that keeps the reader engaged |
| climax | the most intense moment of struggle in the story; the turning-point |