The corpus includes Tolkappiyam, Ettuthogai, Pattuppattu, Pathinenkilkanakku, and the two epics- Silappathikaram and Manimegalai.
Tolkappiyam authored by Tolkappiyar is the earliest of Tamil literature. It is a work on Tamil grammar but it provides information on the political and socio-economic conditions of the Sangam period
The Ettuthogai or Eight Anthologies consist of eight works- Aingurunooru, Narrinai, Aganaooru, Purananooru, Kuruntogai, Kalittogai, Paripadal and Padirruppattu
The Pattuppattu or Ten Idylls consist of ten works- Thirumurugarruppadai, Porunararuppadai, Sirupanarruppadai, Perumpanarruppadai, Mullaippattu, Nedunalvadai, Madurai Kanji, Kurinjippatttu, Pattinappalai and Malaipadukadam
Both Ettuthogai and Pattuppattu were divided into two main groups- aham (love) and puram (valor)
Pathinenkilkanakku contains eighteen works mostly dealing with ethics and morals. The most important one among them is Tirukkural authored by Thiruvalluvar
Silappathigaram written by Elango Adigal and Manimegalai by Sittalai Sattanar also provides valuable information on the Sangam polity and society