Point of View | Student Worksheet

What is Point of View?

Point of view (POV) is the perspective from which a story is told. It determines WHO is telling the story and WHAT the reader can know. Different points of view give readers different information about characters and events!

FIRST PERSON

A character in the story tells their own story

I, me, my, we

Reader knows only this character's thoughts

THIRD PERSON LIMITED

Outside narrator focused on ONE character

he, she, they

Reader knows only one character's thoughts

THIRD PERSON OMNISCIENT

"All-knowing" narrator sees everything

he, she, they

Reader knows EVERYONE's thoughts

Two Steps to Find Point of View

Step 1: Look at the PRONOUNS. Does the narrator use "I/me" (first person) or "he/she/they" (third person)?

Step 2: Ask "WHOSE THOUGHTS do we hear?" Only one character = limited. Multiple characters = omniscient.

See the Difference: Same Scene, Three POVs

First Person

I stared at the test on my desk. My heart pounded. Did Emma finish already? She was putting down her pencil. I had no idea if she felt confident or was giving up.

The narrator is a student. We ONLY know this character's feelings. We can't know what Emma is thinking!

Third Person Limited

Maya stared at the test on her desk. Her heart pounded. She noticed Emma putting down her pencil. Did Emma finish already? Maya had no way of knowing if Emma felt confident.

The narrator is outside the story but follows Maya's perspective. We ONLY know Maya's thoughts, not Emma's.

Third Person Omniscient

Maya stared at the test on her desk, her heart pounding with anxiety. Across the room, Emma put down her pencil with relief - she was confident she had aced it. Little did either girl know they had both gotten the hardest question wrong.

The "all-knowing" narrator tells us BOTH Maya's AND Emma's feelings, plus information neither character knows!

Why Does Point of View Matter?

The POV an author chooses affects:

What readers know: First person and limited POV hide other characters' true thoughts
How close we feel: First person makes readers feel like they ARE the character
Whose side we're on: We often sympathize with the character whose thoughts we hear
Surprise and mystery: Limited POV can hide secrets until the right moment

Watch Out! Common Tricks

Dialogue is NOT first person: When a character says "I love pizza" in quotes, that's dialogue - not first person POV. Look at the NARRATION.
Third person can be limited OR omniscient: Just because you see "she/he" doesn't mean it's omniscient. Ask: "Whose thoughts do I know?"
The narrator might not be trustworthy: First-person narrators only know their own side - they might be wrong about others!

Your Turn!

1. Read this passage. What point of view is it?

"I couldn't believe my eyes. The package on the porch was addressed to me! I ripped it open, my fingers trembling with excitement."

A. First Person B. Third Person Limited C. Third Person Omniscient

2. Read this passage. What point of view is it?

"Liam thought he had made a mistake. He watched nervously as his mom opened the envelope. She smiled - secretly relieved that the news was good, though she wouldn't tell him yet."

A. First Person B. Third Person Limited C. Third Person Omniscient

3. In the passage from Question 2, how do you know it's NOT third person limited?

4. Rewrite this first-person sentence in third person limited (focused on Sam):

"I was so nervous that I dropped my lunch tray."

5. If a story is told in first person, what CAN'T the reader know for certain?

A. What the narrator is thinking B. What other characters are truly thinking C. What the narrator sees D. How the narrator feels

Quick POV Identification Guide

If you see...	And you know...	Then it's...
I, me, my, we, us	Only the narrator's thoughts	First Person
he, she, they	Only ONE character's thoughts	Third Person Limited
he, she, they	MULTIPLE characters' thoughts	Third Person Omniscient