Horror Worksheets

Core Standard
Answer Keys Here

Horror is a genre of fictional literature that is purposefully written and developed to push and shock the audience that it is intended for. The central focus of this genres is to an elicit a response for the reader in the sense of catching them by surprise and startling them, even though they are certain a good scare is headed their way. Horror has a great level of crossover in many different mediums. Most students will be familiar with horror from films. You would think that people would not chose to be scared or feel a sense of terror, but several media polls have found that about half of the American film audience enjoys scary movies. These worksheets will help students learn the core characteristics of horror in literature.

Horror Worksheets To Print:

Primary Features - This worksheet makes for a good introduction for students to the genre, especially if they have not really experienced it before.

Complete It - Use the surronding context of sentences and terms to complete all of the thoughts.

Thrillers - Many people think that they are one and the same, but they differ in several ways.

The Elements - Identify the four main elements of a horror story. Think of a story you have read or seen that belongs in this genre.

Stephen King - One of the undisputed masters of the genre is Stephen King, who has written sixty-two novels in this segment.

The Protagonist - We explore how this role shifts a bit and can jump characters in these types of narratives.

What Sets It Up - We explore the things that are often present in these stories and how to bend them to your liking.

The Setting - Is the setting inherently frightening, or is it an innocuous setting made frightening by the author's treatment of it or by the events of the story?

The Antagonistic Force - What specifically does this antagonistic force do? Does it attack psychologically, physically, or both? How?

Fear, Dread, Suspense - Which of your senses does the author appeal to to create these feelings?

Where It All Happens - Could this story take place in a different setting or a different kind of setting? Why or why not?

Your Opinion - Give students a chance to be heard about their thoughts.

My Imagination - Is the role of imagination in a horror story greater or less than it is in other genres?

Analysis - Breakdown a text to understand if it fits in this classification.

The Story - This is a more academic introduction for higher secondary teachers.

The Art of Writing a Horror Story

Horror stories are meant to scare the reader, sending chills down their spine. Witches, vampires, and ghosts are just some of the supernatural aspects included in these stories. It can also include terrifying monsters, gothic aspects, and the dark world of magic to intrigue its readers. Some writers incorporate a hint of pseudoscience into the genre to create a clever ruse and attract the attention of their curious readers.


The Gothic book, written in the pre-Romantic era of the 18th century, was the first Western literary work to cultivate terror and intrigue intentionally.


Characteristics of the Genre


The following are the characteristics of this type of fiction include:


Reader Response


The hallmark of horror fiction is its ability to generate a genuine terror response in the reader, whether that response is emotional, physical, or psychological. In other words, the primary purpose of this type of story is to make the reader feel uneasy. With this purpose in mind, the genre uses various strategies to keep the audience's scared response in check throughout the story.


Here are some of the most popular horror qualities and techniques:


- Real or imagined, a threat to the protagonists, either physically, emotionally, psychologically, lawfully, or any other way, is a villain or menace


- Places that have been abandoned or are in a state of decay


- For the most part, the plot takes place at night or in the shadows.


- The vague idea of throbbing veins and destroyed intestines


- A continuous or imminent life-threatening danger that looms over the protagonist's head


- Characters such as the protagonist and others are thrust into frightening situations by themselves.


- Threats to the characters posed by supernatural powers or entities


Fearful Reactions


Fear is mankind's oldest and greatest emotion, and the oldest and strongest sort of fear is fear of the unknown. A horror story revolves around this idea. Readers are clueless about what might surprise them next and shake them to their core. The fear of the unknown is instilled, deeply rooted in the readers' minds that they flinch at the slightest noise.


When it comes to the horror genre, fear is the impetus behind the plot. The story's realism should be so convincing that viewers will be terrified of things they weren't previously frightened of.


Mysterious Imagination


When a reader has difficulty imagining or predicting what will happen next, they are experiencing a mystery. The best horror stories are built on the foundation of suspense and mystery. It's the inability to predict what will happen and when.


How to Create an Effective Story


To create a compelling narrative that captures readers, you need to have these five components:


- The power of imagination makes your audience's heartbeat race, their palms sweat, and their bodies tremble in horror.


- Foreshadowing is a crucial initial step.


- It's a collection of tiny tidbits that add up over time. As a result, viewers get more engrossed in your horror piece.


Categories of Horror


Gothic - Horror and Romanticism are combined in the Gothic realm, often called gothic literature or gothic fantasy. Horror meets Romantic aesthetics in a way that is simultaneously attractive and scary. Both supernatural and non-supernatural aspects can be found in Gothic stories, but the stories are always mysterious. Novels such as Dracula, Mr. Hyde, and Frankenstein are good examples of this genre.


Supernatural - Supernatural horror is defined in the work of fiction that relies on paranormal aspects, such as ghosts, aliens, demons, and witchcraft, to drive the tale. A looming curse, haunting or possessing spirit, an invasion of property, or a bad omen are excellent examples of supernatural horrors. In these stories, the human reaction to being confronted with the unknown is the primary source of anxiety.


Non- Supernatural - Horror stories that do not feature supernatural elements are called non-supernatural horror. It's no secret that crime and mystery stories thrive in the non-supernatural genre. This is because of the suspense that comes from believing that the events depicted in the novel could very well take place in the real world.