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Compilation of 99+ English types of books vocabulary

Books are a frequent topic in studies and work. So, do you know all the English vocabulary about books? Let's memorize English types of books vocabulary with PREP in this article!

I. Comprehensive English types of books vocabulary

To make it easier to memorize, PREP divides the English types of books vocabulary into the following subtopics:

1. Book genres vocabulary based on form

Some common English book genres vocabulary based on form are:

English types of books vocabulary	Pronunciation	Example
Paperback (n)	/ˈpeɪ.pə.bæk/	Paperback is a book with a cover made of thick paper.
Hardcover (n)	/ˈhɑːdˌkʌv.ər/	A hardcover book is a book with a thick, hard outer cover.
Quiet book (n)	/ˈkwaɪ.ət ˈbʊk/	Quiet books are those made of soft fabric or felt, usually for children.
Audio book (n)	/ˈɔː.di.əʊ.bʊk/	Currently, audio books are popular because of their convenience and modernity.
E-book (n)	/ˈiːbʊk/	E-books have grown in popularity and are widely used in universities.
Photo book (n)	/ˈfəʊ.təʊ ˌbʊk/	A photo book is a photo album with pictures divided by pages.

2. Book genres vocabulary based on content

Here are some English book genres vocabulary divided by content that you should know:

English types of books vocabulary	Pronunciation	Example
Mystery/Thriller/Horror
Mystery book (n)	/ˈmɪs.tər.i bʊk/	Mystery books are a line of books about mysterious stories, very appealing to readers.
Romance book (n)	/rəʊˈmæns bʊk/	Romance books often have love themes.
Science fiction book (n)	/ˈsaɪəns ˈfɪkʃn bʊk/	Science fiction books are written by imaginative and divergent writers.
Thriller book (n)	/ˈθrɪler bʊk/	Thriller books include topics: horror, violence...
Historical fiction book (n)	/hɪˈstɒr.ɪ.kəl ˈfɪk.ʃən bʊk/	Historical fiction books write about historical stories that happened in the past.
Non-fiction book
Biography (n)	/baɪˈɒɡ.rə.fi/	Biographies are the life story of a person written by someone else.
Autobiography (n)	/ɔt̮əbaɪˈɑɡrəfi/	Autobiography is a book about a person's life, written by that person.
Memoir (n)	/ˈmem.wɑːr/	The book series of memoirs tells about real events that happened in the author's life.
Self-help book (n)	/ˌselfˈhelp bʊk/	The self-help series offers many helpful tips and directions for readers.
Philosophy book (n)	/fɪˈlɒs.ə.fi bʊk/	Philosophy books are the quintessence of great thinkers.
Academic books
Textbook (n)	/ˈtɛkstbʊk/	Textbooks provide general knowledge, issued by the Ministry of Education and Training.
Reference book (n)	/ˈrɛfrench bʊk/	Reference books supplementary knowledge for textbooks.
Politics book (n)	/ˈpɒl.ə.tɪks bʊk/	Political books specializing in theory, focusing on analyzing discussed issues.
journal(s)	/ˈdʒɜː.nəl/	Journals are periodicals published in newspapers.
Encyclopedia (n)	/ɪnˌsaɪ.kləˈpiː.di.ə/	An encyclopedia is a book or set of books containing many articles arranged in alphabetical order that deal either with the whole of human knowledge or with a particular part of it.

3. Other English types of books vocabulary

Additionally, here are some English types of books vocabulary related to publishing activities, components, and related entities that you need to know:

English types of books vocabulary	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example
Author (n)	/ˈɔθər/	the writer of a book, article, play, etc.	Roald Dahl is the author of many popular children's books.
Poet (n)	/ˈpoʊət/	a person who writes poems	Poet Pushkin is the king of love poetry.
Writer (n)	/ˈraɪ.tər/	a person who writes books or articles to be published	My dream is to become a writer.
Bookmark (n)	/ˈbʊkmɑrk/	a piece of thick paper, leather, or plastic that you put between the pages of a book so that you can find a page again quickly	I have a passion for collecting bookmarks.
Bookshop (n)	/ˈbʊkʃɑp/	a shop or website where books are sold	There are 2 bookshops near my house.
Bookseller (n)	/ˈbʊkˌsɛlər/	a person or company that sells books	The bookseller wrongly billed me.
Plot (n)	/plɒt/	the story of a book, film, play, etc.	The plot of this book is being turned into a television script.
Protagonist (n)	/prəˈtæɡ.ən.ɪst/	one of the main characters in a story or a play	In novels, protagonists often encounter many difficulties and challenges.
Antagonist (n)	ænˈtæɡ.ən.ɪst/	a person who is strongly opposed to something or someone	Antagonists in stories often do not have a happy ending.
Content (n)	/ˈkɑntɛnt/	the ideas that are contained in a piece of writing, a speech, or a film	The content of this novel revolves around the story of the upper class.
Chapter (n)	/ˈtʃæptər/	any of the separate parts into which a book or other piece of text is divided, usually given a number or title	This book has 10 chapters.
Table of contents (n)	/ˈteɪ.bəl əv kənˈtents/	a list of the information that is contained in a book	I usually look at the table of contents of a book before buying it.
Annex (n)	/ænˈeks/	an addition to a document or report	An annex is a section of additional reference material in a book.
Publish (v)	/ˈpʌb.lɪʃ/	to make information available to people, especially in a book, magazine, or newspaper, or to produce and sell a book, magazine, or newspaper	The first book that I wrote has been published.
Publishing house (n)	/ˈpʌb.lɪʃ.ɪŋ ˌhaʊs/	a company that publishes books	I have to work with the publishing house to copyright the book.
Book editor (n)	/ˈbʊk ˌed.ɪ.tər/	a professional who works closely with authors to prepare their manuscripts for publication	Book editors need to be meticulous and careful.

II. Idioms related to books

There are many idioms related to books that you can use in daily conversations. Here are the 10 most common idioms related to books that you should know:

Idiom related to books	Meaning	Example
A bookworm	a person who reads a lot	I'm a bookworm, I read books every time I have free time.
Know something or someone like a book	be extremely familiar with or knowledgeable about; understand perfectly	I know Linda like a book, so I can easily predict her reactions in any situation.
Don't judge a book by its cover	cannot know what something or someone is like by looking only at that person or thing's appearance	Even though the house looks old and shabby from the outside, don't judge a book by its cover – the interior is beautifully renovated.
Cook the books	to change numbers dishonestly in the accounts (= financial records) of an organization, especially in order to steal money from it	The company was in financial trouble, so they resorted to cooking the books to make their profits appear larger than they actually were.
An open book	a person or thing that is easily understood or interpreted.	My boyfriend is an open book.
A closed book	a subject or person about which one knows nothing.	He is a closed book, thinking one thing but doing another.
Read someone's mind	to know what someone is thinking without them telling you	We have been friends for 5 years and I can read her mind in any situation.
Read too much into something	to think of (something, such as a comment or situation) as having a meaning or importance that does not seem likely or reasonable.	She only said she couldn't make it to the party because of work, but he's reading too much into it, thinking she's avoiding him.
Be on the same page	agreeing about something (such as how things should be done)	Before starting the new project, we need to have a meeting to ensure everyone understands the goals and directions, so that we can make sure we are all on the same page.
Take a leaf out of someone’s book	to copy something that someone else does because it will bring you advantages	I decided to take a leaf out of Min's book and start using her time management techniques.

III. Tips for learning English types of books vocabulary

To effectively learn English types of books vocabulary, you can apply the following tips:

1. Divide study time/number of words learned per day

First, balance and divide the amount of knowledge to be learned each day to be most suitable. You can learn 5 new English vocabulary words on various types of books and review 2-3 old words per day. This way, you can easily absorb new words without forgetting old ones.

2. Regularly apply English types of books vocabulary to real-life situations

To effectively apply vocabulary, the first important thing is to apply it in daily life. Every day, you can spend about 15 minutes practicing speaking about the book topic, using English types of books vocabulary for practice.

At the same time, you should also cultivate the habit of naming different book genres and engaging in daily reading activities to develop the best reflexes.

3. Expand English types of books vocabulary with PREP

PREP's vocabulary courses, from basic to advanced, provide both vocabulary topics and effective learning methods for you. By following PREP's courses, you will receive specific and clear learning plans divided into specific daily lessons. From there, you can conquer vocabulary in a more systematic and efficient way. In addition to learning the types of books vocabulary mentioned here, combine your learning with PREP to expand your vocabulary on the book topic and other common topics!

4. Learn English types of books vocabulary through mind maps

The method of learning English vocabulary through mind maps is familiar and widely applied. Learning through mind maps helps you remember vocabulary systematically, in detail, and for a longer time. For example, you can refer to the mind map of vocabulary on the components of a book:

IV. Exercises applying English types of books vocabulary

Here are some exercises applying English types of books vocabulary that you should try to memorize!

1. Exercises

Choose the appropriate word to fill in the blanks:

Novels, author, published, book editor, Paperback

____________ is a cover made of thick paper.
Mark Twain is the____________of many classic books.
My first book will be____________in December 2023.
A____________is someone who reads the manuscript and edits it.
____________are usually divided into chapters and are long in length.

2. Answer

1. Paperback

2. author

3. published

4. book editor

5. Novels

V. Start Your IELTS Journey

Above is a compilation of English types of books vocabulary, accompanied by many specific examples to help you understand how to use them. If you’re ready to boost your IELTS band score, check out our expert-led courses below:

IELTS learning online: Score Big in IELTS With Our Expert Tips!

Master Tu Pham

Founder/CEO at Prep

Founder of Prep Smart Test Preparation Platform. With over 10 years of experience in teaching and test preparation, Mr. Tú has helped thousands of students achieve high scores in the IELTS exam. In addition, Mr. Tú Phạm is also a consulting expert in British Council programs and a speaker at many leading educational events, programs, and conferences.