1. Exposition. The first part of a play should introduce the characters, setting, and backstory.
2. Inciting incident. An event occurs that sets the main conflict of the play in motion.
3. Rising action. The conflict intensifies and escalates, leading to a crisis point.
4. Climax. The peak of the conflict and the point of highest tension.
5. Falling action. The conflict starts to resolve, leading to the play's denouement.
6. Denouement. The final part of the play, where the conflict is resolved and the play draws to a close.
7. Unity of action. The play should focus on a single main plot, with all other subplots contributing to the central conflict.
8. Unity of time. The play should take place over a relatively short period of time, ideally during a single day or a few days.
9. Unity of place. The play should all happen in a single location, unless there is a strong reason for the setting to change.
10. Poetic justice. The play should reward the virtuous characters and punish the wicked ones, providing a sense of moral closure.