Understanding Different Points of View In English Writing

The concept of the first, second, and third person can be confusing. Your professor may request an essay in the third person, and you’re trying to figure out who else is in the room beside you and her. But don’t worry, in this blog we’re getting down to the basics of the different points of view in English writing.

What is a ‘point of view’ in writing?

In basic terms, it helps to think of a grammatical person as like a point of view in writing. Different persons indicate different things, such as who is speaking or who is being addressed. This is also why each grammatical person in English has its own set of associated pronouns.

The First Person

First-person writing conveys the point of view of the author or narrator. First-person pronouns include terms like “I,” “we,” “me,” and “us.”

Example:

1. I went to the store to buy some cereal.
2. My mother in law is getting married next year.
3. We are going to the movies tonight.
4. I have strong opinions in general.

Plural first-person pronouns may include “we,” ‘us,” “our,” and “ourselves.”

We use the first person when we want to present something as a subjective experience or an opinion. However, this can range from a reflective essay to creating a narrative voice in fiction.

The Second Person

Second person addresses the person being spoken to, likely the reader. Though the second person can be used in fiction writing, it’s rare. You’ll most frequently see the second person used in direct communications, such as a letter or email. It’s also ideal for blogs, instructional guides, and other content that’s designed to compel the reader into action.

Example:

1. If you write that essay, make sure you don’t copy from anywhere.
2. When you meet her, please ask her to call me.
3. Discuss it amongst yourselves.

Second person pronouns can also be singular or plural and may include “you,” “your,” “yours,” “yourself,” and “yourselves.”

The Third Person

We use the third person to describe any person or thing other than the author or reader, making it the most common grammatical person. It uses pronouns such as “it,” “they,” “he,” and “she.”

Example:

1. He couldn’t believe her.
2. It was a dark and stormy night.
3. They left the store with four bags of new clothes.

The third person is the standard grammatical voice in writing, where the first person can feel too subjective and the second person is too informal. Keep this in mind while dealing with different points of view in English writing.