plot - series of related events in a story

basic situation - The first part of the plot tells the reader about the story's basic situation: Who are the characters, and what do they want? This is usually where the conflict or problem is introduced.

climax - The story's most emotional or suspenseful moment. This is the point at which the confict is decided one way or another.

resolution - final part of the plot, in which loose ends of the story are tied up

conflict - struggle between oppossing forces or characters in a story. external conflict - (prefix "ex" means "out" or "beyond") a character struggles against another person, a group of people, or a force of nature (tornado, bear, hurricane) internal conflict - takes place IN a characters' mind. (He/She might be struggling with feeling shy around new people)

foreshadow - a hint at future events