Who Tells the Story
Aligned to RL.4.6 — Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.
What this lesson teaches
Every story is told by someone, and who that is changes what you learn. In first-person, a character inside the story says 'I' and shares their own feelings. In third-person, an outside voice uses 'he,' 'she,' and 'they' and can see more than one character.
Worked examples
Example 1
'I was so nervous my hands shook' is first-person — you only know that one person's feelings. 'Ana was nervous while Leo felt calm' is third-person, showing what two people feel.
Example 2
First person can be unreliable: the narrator may believe something the reader can tell is wrong.
Example 3
Third-person limited stays inside one character's head; third-person omniscient knows everyone's. That choice controls what you are allowed to know.
Practice questions
- Write one sentence about a birthday in first-person, then rewrite it in third-person.
- How would a story change if the villain told it instead of the hero?
- Read a page and decide if it is first- or third-person, then name the word that told you.
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
Quién Cuenta la Historia
Cada historia la cuenta alguien, y quién es cambia lo que aprendes. En primera persona, un personaje dentro de la historia dice 'yo' y comparte sus propios sentimientos. En tercera persona, una voz de afuera usa 'él,' 'ella' y 'ellos' y puede ver a más de un personaje.
Ejemplo 1: 'Estaba tan nervioso que me temblaban las manos' es primera persona — solo conoces los sentimientos de esa persona. 'Ana estaba nerviosa mientras Leo se sentía tranquilo' es tercera persona, y muestra lo que sienten dos personas.
Ejemplo 2: La primera persona puede ser poco confiable: el narrador puede creer algo que el lector nota que está mal.
Ejemplo 3: La tercera persona limitada se queda en la cabeza de un personaje; la omnisciente conoce a todos. Esa elección controla lo que se te permite saber.
More Reading: Literature lessons
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