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 pronouns 'you' and 'your' belong in the first-person column of a POV chart.
Corrected: The pronouns 'you' and 'your' belong in the second-person column of a POV chart.
POV charts sort pronouns by person: I and we for first, you for second, he and they for third.
2. Fix the sentence:
A story that begins, 'You walk into the cave alone,' is written in third-person point of view.
Corrected: A story that begins, 'You walk into the cave alone,' is written in second-person point of view.
Second-person POV addresses the reader directly using you and your throughout the story.
3. Fix the sentence:
If a narrator says 'we ran' to mean herself and her brother, the story is written in third person.
Corrected: If a narrator says 'we ran' to mean herself and her brother, the story is written in first person.
First person includes the narrator as I or as part of we, even when other characters are present.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. The pronoun 'we' is a first-person plural pronoun used by narrators inside the story.
We is first-person plural because the narrator is one of the people doing the action.
2. A choose-your-own-adventure book that says, 'You open the door,' uses second person.
Second-person POV uses you to make the reader the main character of the story.
3. The pronouns 'they,' 'them,' and 'their' belong to the third person on a pronoun chart.
Third-person plural pronouns name people the narrator is talking about, not to.
4. If the narrator never says 'I' and only watches the characters, the story is in third person.
When narrators stay outside the action and use he, she, or they, the POV is third person.
Part C: Short Answer
Answer each question in one or two complete sentences.
1. How does a pronoun chart help you decide what point of view a story uses?
Sample answer: The chart sorts I, you, and he into columns, so you can match the narrator's pronouns to first, second, or third person quickly.
Pronoun charts give a clear picture of which person each pronoun belongs to in any story.
2. Why is second-person point of view rare in children's books?
Sample answer: Second person tells readers, 'You do this,' which feels strange because most stories let readers watch characters instead of being them.
Second person is unusual because readers usually prefer to follow characters rather than be told what they do.