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200+ List of Categories | Different Types of Categories

A category is a group of classification of things. Things in the same group share similar characteristics or properties. Categorization is the process of sorting or classifying things into groups, which is a great way to organize items or concepts based on common traits. In this article, we will provide you with a list of categories.

list of categories

List of Categories

Let’s go over the different types of categories. Categories are divided into bigger topics.

Category List: Animals

  • Mammals
  • Birds
  • Reptiles
  • Amphibians
  • Fish
  • Insects
  • Arachnids
  • Mollusks
  • Crustaceans
  • Echinoderms

Category List: Food

  • Fruits
  • Vegetables
  • Grains
  • Dairy
  • Meat
  • Seafood
  • Beverages
  • Snacks
  • Desserts
  • Condiments

 

Category List: Clothing

  • Tops
  • Bottoms
  • Dresses
  • Outerwear
  • Underwear
  • Footwear
  • Accessories
  • Activewear
  • Formalwear
  • Sleepwear

Category List: Transportation

  • Cars
  • Trucks
  • Motorcycles
  • Bicycles
  • Public Transit
  • Airplanes
  • Boats
  • Trains
  • Scooters
  • RVs

Category List: Technology

  • Computers
  • Smartphones
  • Tablets
  • Wearables
  • Gaming Consoles
  • Cameras
  • Audio Devices
  • Networking Equipment
  • Home Appliances
  • Accessories

different types of categories

Category List: Sports

  • Soccer
  • Basketball
  • Football
  • Tennis
  • Golf
  • Swimming
  • Running
  • Cycling
  • Volleyball
  • Baseball

Category List: Movies

  • Action
  • Comedy
  • Drama
  • Horror
  • Romance
  • Sci-Fi
  • Thriller
  • Animation
  • Documentary
  • Fantasy

List of Categories: Music

  • Pop
  • Rock
  • Hip-hop
  • Jazz
  • Country
  • Classical
  • Electronic
  • R&B
  • Reggae
  • Alternative

Category List: Education

  • Preschool
  • Elementary School
  • Middle School
  • High School
  • College
  • Vocational Training
  • Online Learning
  • Adult Education
  • Special Education
  • Homeschooling

List of Categories: Travel

  • Beach Destinations
  • Mountain Destinations
  • Urban Destinations
  • Cultural Tours
  • Adventure Travel
  • Ecotourism
  • Cruise Vacations
  • Road Trips
  • Backpacking
  • Luxury Travel

Category List: Books

  • Fiction
  • Non-fiction
  • Mystery
  • Fantasy
  • Romance
  • Science Fiction
  • Biography
  • Self-Help
  • History
  • Poetry

List of Categories: Art

  • Painting
  • Sculpture
  • Drawing
  • Photography
  • Printmaking
  • Digital Art
  • Installation Art
  • Performance Art
  • Mixed Media
  • Street Art

Category List: Hobbies

  • Gardening
  • Cooking
  • Painting
  • Photography
  • Knitting/Crocheting
  • Model Building
  • Woodworking
  • Fishing
  • Hiking
  • Gaming

Category List: Health

  • Exercise
  • Nutrition
  • Mental Health
  • Preventive Care
  • Chronic Conditions
  • Alternative Medicine
  • Pediatrics
  • Women’s Health
  • Men’s Health
  • Aging

List of Categories: Home

  • Interior Design
  • Home Decor
  • Furniture
  • Appliances
  • Cleaning Supplies
  • Kitchenware
  • Bedding
  • Bath Accessories
  • Lighting
  • Gardening Tools

Category List: Industry

  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Energy
  • Retail
  • Manufacturing
  • Finance
  • Hospitality
  • Entertainment

List of Categories: People

  • Children
  • Teenagers
  • Adults
  • Seniors
  • Singles
  • Couples
  • Families
  • Professionals
  • Entrepreneurs
  • Artists

Category List: University Faculties

  • Arts and Humanities
  • Social Sciences
  • Natural Sciences
  • Engineering
  • Business and Economics
  • Education
  • Health Sciences
  • Law
  • Fine Arts
  • Information Technology

Categories List: Drinks

  • Water
  • Tea
  • Coffee
  • Juice
  • Soda
  • Milkshakes
  • Smoothies
  • Energy Drinks
  • Alcoholic Beverages
  • Herbal Infusions

List of Categories: Jobs

  • Healthcare
  • Information Technology
  • Education
  • Finance
  • Engineering
  • Sales
  • Customer Service
  • Marketing
  • Hospitality
  • Construction

most common categories in english

Category Activities for Students

Here are some games and activities related to categories for students.

  • Category Sorting Game:
    • Before class: Create or print out cards that represent different categories and subcategories (e.g., animals and their habitats)
    • In class: Divide students into groups or pairs and have them sort the cards into the correct categories and subcategories. After categorizing the cards, ask the students to identify 2-3 similarities and differences among things in the same category.
    • Outcome: The activity helps students understand the concept of categorization and classification. Also, students will be able to identify similarities and differences within categories.
  • Category Brainstorming Session:
    • Before class: Prepare a list of categories. You can use the ones that we provided above.
    • In class: Explain how brainstorming works. Put students into groups and assign each group a broad category. Each group has to brainstorm subcategories or specific things within the category. Students can brainstorm on paper, or you can provide a big poster and sticky notes. Set a time limit. After brainstorming, students have to discuss how to organize the subcategories into a hierarchy. Emphasize that there is no right or wrong answer, but they should have a good reason behind the organization.
    • Outcome: The activity helps students build their creativity and organization skills, along with learning the concept of categorization.

More List of Things

If you are looking for lists of more specific topics, check out the following articles.

  • List of Text Slang, Definitions, and Examples | Chat Abbreviations
  • List of Common American Foods with Pictures
  • Classroom Things in English | List of Objects with Pictures
  • Tool Names with Pictures (in English) | List of Hand Tools
  • List of Office Supplies in English (With Pictures) | Office Stationery

FAQs About List of Categories

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about different types of categories.

What are some good categories?

Good categories are those that are clear, relevant, and helpful for organizing information or objects. They should be distinct enough to prevent overlap but broad enough to encompass related concepts. Examples include animals, colors, countries, foods, genres, and seasons.

What are examples of categories?

Examples of categories include, but are not limited to, animals, colors, countries, foods, genres, seasons, food, clothing, and transportation.

What are common categories?

Some common categories include household items, academic subjects, industries, art, and music genres.

What are good categories for games?

The following are good categories for different types of games:

  • Trivia games: history, science, entertainment, math, geography, literature
  • Word games: animals, countries, famous people, food
  • Sorting games: colors, shapes, sizes
  • Strategy games: military units, resources, terrain types

What are the 4 to-do list categories?

People often use categories that represent the urgency or occurrence of each task. Examples include urgent, important, routine, and optional.

What are things we categorize?

We categorize a wide range of things to better understand and organize them. Examples of very broad categories include objects, concepts, events, people, and information.

List of Categories: Join the Conversation

Can you think of another type of category that’s missing from our list? It can be a broader one or a subcategory. Let us know in the comments! We’d love to hear from you.

About Jackie

Jackie Bolen has been teaching English for more than 20 years to students in South Korea and Canada. She's taught all ages, levels and kinds of TEFL classes. She holds an MA degree, along with the Celta and Delta English teaching certifications.

Jackie is the author of more than 100 books for English teachers and English learners, including 101 ESL Activities for Teenagers and Adults, Great Debates for ESL/EFL, and 1001 English Expressions and Phrases. She loves to share her ESL games, activities, teaching tips, and more with other teachers throughout the world.

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