Which form of literature uses acts and scenes as structure?

Plays are the form of literature that employs acts and scenes as a structural framework. This format is inherent to dramatic writing, allowing for division into larger sections (acts) and smaller, more focused segments (scenes) that help organize the narrative and develop the story effectively on stage. Each act generally encompasses a specific thematic segment of the play, while scenes within acts denote changes in time or location, contributing to character development and plot progression.

In contrast, novels are typically organized into chapters rather than acts and scenes. Poems, while they can have stanzas or lines, do not follow the same structural conventions as plays, and short stories generally adhere to a single, unified narrative arc without the segmented divisions of acts and scenes. This distinguishes plays clearly as the literary form that employs this specific structural organization.