1) Definition (CUET-ready)
Prose is written language that follows natural speech patterns rather than the regular metrical lineation typical of verse. Prose includes:
- fiction (novel, short story),
- non-fiction (essay, biography, criticism),
- and many hybrid forms.
Prose is not “formless.” It has:
- rhythm (prose cadence),
- structure (paragraphing, syntax),
- rhetorical patterns (argumentation, narration).
2) Major prose categories
A) Prose fiction
- novel,
- short story,
- novella.
B) Prose non-fiction
- essays,
- life writing (memoir, diary),
- criticism,
- history writing,
- travel writing.