- Narrative focus: Ballads tell stories in a concise and chronological manner, often focusing on key conflicts or moments of tension.
- Repetition: Repetition of phrases, lines, or refrains adds a musical quality to the ballad and helps build atmosphere and emphasis.
- Simple Language: Ballads employ straightforward language and clear imagery, making them understandable to a wide audience.
- Rhyme scheme: Consistent rhyme schemes lend a structure and rhythmic pattern to the ballad, aiding in memorization and oral transmission. Common ballad stanza forms include the quatrain (ABCB), ballad stanza (ABCBDB), or septain (ABCBDBE).
- Dialogue: Many ballads use dialogue to convey emotion and provide insights into emotions and motives of characters.
- Tragic themes: Ballads often portray themes of love, loss, betrayal, revenge, heroism, or tragedy, making them emotionally resonant and enduring.
- Oral tradition: Ballads were frequently passed down orally, evolving and changing over time as they spread from one region or culture to another.