Storytelling Vocabulary

noun a tale or account that is not entirely believable

• The man's account of catching a massive marlin is often dismissed as a mere fish story.
• I think Bob is just telling a fish story about the size of the fish he caught last weekend.
• Don't believe everything he says, it's probably just a fish story.
• Her explanation for being late sounded like a fish story to me.

noun a traditional story or legend that has been passed down orally through generations within a particular culture

• The folktale has been passed down for generations within this community.
• Have you heard that folktale about the magical forest?
• That folktale is straight up legendary!
• The folktale serves as a moral lesson for children.

noun a story or account of events, experiences, or the like, whether true or fictitious

adjective pertaining to or being a narrative

• The novel's narrative is intricately woven with multiple perspectives.
• I love how the story's narrative unfolds throughout the book.
• The movie's narrative was all over the place, I couldn't follow it.
• Her narrative of the events painted a vivid picture in my mind.

verb to tell again or in a different way

• She was asked to retell the events of that fateful day in great detail.
• Can you retell what happened at the party last night?
• Yo, retell me that story from last weekend, it was hilarious!
• The painting seemed to retell the story of a bygone era through its intricate details.

noun a book containing a collection of stories, typically for children

• The library has a vast collection of classic storybooks for children.
• I love reading storybooks before going to bed.
• Let's ditch the movie and have a storybook night instead.
• Their love story was like something out of a fairytale storybook.

noun a person who tells tales or stories, often in a deceitful or exaggerated manner

• The taleteller at the company's annual meeting shared inspiring stories of success.
• My grandma is the best taleteller in our family, she always has the most interesting stories to share.
• I heard that new guy is quite the taleteller, always spinning wild tales to impress people.
• In literature, the author is often seen as the ultimate taleteller, weaving intricate narratives for readers to enjoy.

noun a person who reveals information or gives instructions

verb to communicate information or instructions to someone

• Please tell me about your experience with the project.
• Can you tell me what happened at the party last night?
• Hey, tell me all the juicy details from your date!
• His eyes told a story of pain and longing.

pronoun a word that is used to replace a noun in a sentence, such as he, she, it, or in this case, them

• It is important to properly label all of the boxes and stack them neatly in the storage room.
• I told them to meet me at the park at 3 o'clock.
• I can't believe she wore them shoes to the party.
• He held onto his memories tightly, cherishing them like precious treasures.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

pronoun a word that can function by itself as a noun phrase and that refers either to the participants in the discourse (e.g. I, you) or to someone or something mentioned elsewhere in the discourse (e.g. she, it, this)

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

article a word that is used to specify a noun as definite or indefinite

• She walked into the meeting room with a triumphant expression, like the cat that ate the canary.
• He strutted down the street, looking smug like the cat that ate the canary.
• She had a huge grin on her face, feeling all cool like the cat that ate the canary.
• After acing the exam, he felt on top of the world, like the cat that ate the canary.

noun a word that functions as the name of a person, place, thing, or idea

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun

article a word that specifies a noun as definite or indefinite

• The project was completed successfully and delivered on a end note.
• We wrapped up the project nicely and ended on a good note.
• We totally nailed it and ended on a high!
• The journey came to a end, but the memories will last forever.