Point of View and Perspective — Answer Key
Part A: Fix the Sentence
Each sentence has an error. Rewrite it correctly on the line.
1. Fix the sentence:
The passage 'We hiked up the hill before sunrise' is third person.
Corrected: The passage 'We hiked up the hill before sunrise' is first person.
We is a first person plural pronoun, so the narrator is part of the story.
2. Fix the sentence:
The line 'Stir the batter until it is smooth' is third person.
Corrected: The line 'Stir the batter until it is smooth' is second person.
An imperative directed to the reader counts as second person point of view.
3. Fix the sentence:
The sentence 'They cheered when the kite finally flew' is first person.
Corrected: The sentence 'They cheered when the kite finally flew' is third person.
They signals an outside narrator describing characters from a distance.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. If a narrator says 'My team won the game,' the point of view is first person.
My is a first person possessive pronoun, marking the narrator as the speaker.
2. If a sign says 'Please wash your hands,' the point of view is second person.
Your addresses the reader directly, which is the hallmark of second person.
3. If a narrator says 'Marcus opened the door slowly,' the point of view is third person.
Naming a character and describing actions from outside is third person.
4. Pronouns like he, she, it, and they are all clues for third person.
He, she, it, and they all describe outside characters, which is third person.
Part C: Short Answer
Answer each question in one or two complete sentences.
1. Which pronoun shows a story is told in second person?
Sample answer: The pronoun you shows that a story is told in second person point of view.
You is the clearest signal of second person, addressing the reader directly.
2. How can the pronoun we still count as first person?
Sample answer: We is first person because the narrator is part of the group acting in the story.
We includes the narrator, so the point of view stays first person plural.