Which narrative perspective uses 'I' or 'we' from the speaker's own viewpoint?

Prepare for the Praxis Core Skills for Educators: Reading (5713) exam. Engage with flashcards and multiple-choice questions, each accompanied by hints and explanations. Boost your readiness for exam day!

Using the narrator’s own voice with I or we is called the first person perspective. In this point of view, the story is told from inside the speaker’s experience, sharing their thoughts, feelings, and perceptions directly. You’ll notice the narrator refers to themselves as I or we, and the information is limited to what this character knows or experiences.

This differs from other ways of telling a story. The second person uses you, addressing the reader as the character. The third person objective sticks to external actions and dialogue, without revealing inner thoughts. The third person omniscient can reveal thoughts and feelings of multiple characters, not just the speaker’s, and isn’t confined to one character’s inner viewpoint. For example, a sentence like I walked to the store and felt hopeful is clearly first person, because it uses I and shares the narrator’s internal experience.