Identify the narrator's or author's point of view. - ISEE Lower Level Reading Comprehension

SECTION 1

Why Does Point of View Matter?

Have you ever told a friend about something that happened at school? You probably told the story from your point of view — what you saw, what you felt, and what you thought. But your friend might tell the same story differently! That's because everyone has their own point of view (the way they see things and feel about them).

Writers and storytellers have always thought about point of view. Over time, readers and teachers figured out ways to name the different viewpoints. Let's look at how this idea grew!

Ancient Times • Myths and Legends

Early storytellers told tales about gods and heroes. They usually used a narrator who could see everything — every character's thoughts and feelings.

1700s–1800s • Novels Become Popular

Authors like Jane Austen wrote stories where characters shared their own thoughts. Readers started to notice that WHO tells a story changes HOW it feels.

1900s • Point of View Gets a Name

Teachers and scholars began to teach first person, second person, and third person point of view. These labels helped students talk about stories more clearly.

Today • Point of View on the ISEE

The ISEE test asks you to identify who is speaking and how the author feels. You'll see these questions on every test!

So here's the big question: When you read a passage on the ISEE, how can you figure out who is telling the story and what they think? Let's learn the tools to answer that question!

SECTION 2

Core Ideas About Point of View

There are two big ideas to master for the ISEE. First, you need to know who is telling the story (the narrator's point of view). Second, you need to figure out how the author feels about the topic (the author's point of view). Let's break these down!

First Person

The narrator is a character IN the story. Look for words like I, me, my, we, our. Example: "I walked to the park."

Second Person

The narrator talks directly to YOU. Look for the word you. Example: "You should try this recipe." This is rare on the ISEE.

Third Person

The narrator is OUTSIDE the story. Look for words like he, she, they, it. Example: "She walked to the park."

Author's Opinion

In nonfiction, the author shares feelings or opinions about a topic. Look for opinion words like "important," "beautiful," "sadly," or "should."

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KEY TAKEAWAY

Think of point of view like a camera. In first person, the camera is on your head — you see what the character sees. In third person, the camera is floating above, watching everyone. Knowing where the "camera" is helps you understand the whole story!

SECTION 3

See the Difference: A Visual Guide

This diagram shows you the three main points of view side by side. Notice the clue words under each one. These are the words you should hunt for when reading a passage on the ISEE!

Each column shows a different point of view. The colored boxes highlight the clue words you should look for in a passage. On the ISEE, first person and third person are the most common.

Here's a great test-taking tip. When you first look at a passage, read the very first sentence carefully. It usually tells you right away what point of view the passage uses. Look for the clue words shown in the diagram above!

SECTION 4

How to Find the Author's Point of View

On the ISEE, nonfiction passages often ask: "What is the author's point of view?" This means: how does the author feel about the topic? Do they think it's good, bad, exciting, or worrying? Let's learn how to figure it out.

Step 1: Look for Opinion Words

Authors show their feelings through the words they choose. Words like amazing, terrible, important, sadly, fortunately are all opinion words. They tell you the author isn't just sharing facts — they're sharing how they feel.

Step 2: Think About What the Author Chose to Include

Even when an author doesn't use obvious opinion words, you can figure out how they feel. If they write a whole passage about why recycling is great and only include happy facts about it, the author probably supports recycling.

Step 3: Check the Tone

The tone is the overall feeling of the writing. Ask yourself: does this passage sound happy, sad, excited, worried, or neutral (just sharing facts)? The tone is a big clue to the author's point of view.

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ISEE Test Tip!

Read the questions BEFORE you read the passage! If you see a question asking about the author's point of view, you'll know to look for opinion words and tone clues as you read. This saves you time!

SECTION 5

Clue Words That Reveal Point of View

Let's look at some common words that show up on the ISEE. Knowing these words will help you spot the author's opinion quickly. This chart groups them by feeling.

This chart shows four types of author attitudes you might see on the ISEE. The positive and negative clue words are the easiest to spot. A neutral author sticks to facts, and a persuasive author tries to change your mind.

When you read an ISEE passage, try circling or underlining any clue words you notice. This makes it much easier to answer point-of-view questions. You've got this!

SECTION 6

Worked Example: Finding Point of View Step by Step

Let's practice together! Read this short passage and then follow the steps to answer a point-of-view question.

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Sample Passage

Sea turtles are some of the most amazing creatures in the ocean. Every year, mother turtles travel hundreds of miles to lay their eggs on the same beach where they were born. Sadly, many beaches are now covered with trash and bright lights that confuse baby turtles. People should do more to protect these beautiful animals and their nesting beaches.

Question: What is the author's point of view about sea turtles?

Solving It Step by Step

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Step 1 — Identify the Narrator Type

Look at the first sentence. Do you see "I" or "we"? No! The passage uses words like "their" and talks about turtles from the outside. This is third person point of view.

Third person — narrator is outside the story
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Step 2 — Hunt for Opinion Words

Circle the clue words: "amazing," "sadly," "should," "beautiful." These are all opinion words! The author isn't just sharing facts — they're sharing feelings too.

Clue words found: amazing, sadly, should, beautiful
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Step 3 — Decide the Author's Feeling

The author calls turtles "amazing" and "beautiful" (positive). The word "sadly" shows worry. The word "should" shows the author wants people to take action. The author clearly cares about protecting sea turtles.

Author admires sea turtles and is concerned about their safety
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Step 4 — Choose the Best Answer

If the answer choices were: (A) Sea turtles are boring, (B) The author thinks sea turtles are interesting but not important, (C) The author admires sea turtles and believes they should be protected, (D) The author is angry at sea turtles — the best answer is (C)! It matches our clue words perfectly.

Answer: (C) — matches the positive and concerned tone

SECTION 7

Common Traps and How to Avoid Them

The ISEE has some tricky answer choices. Let's learn the most common traps so you don't fall for them!

Trap	What It Looks Like	How to Avoid It
Too Extreme	An answer says the author "hates" something when they are only a little worried.	Check if the passage uses very strong words. If not, pick a milder answer.
Opposite Feeling	An answer says the author is "excited" when the passage actually sounds sad.	Go back and reread the clue words. Make sure the feeling matches.
Mixing Up Characters	An answer describes how a character feels, not the author.	Remember: the author is the person who WROTE the passage. A character is a person IN the story.
Not in the Passage	An answer brings in ideas that are NOT in the passage at all.	Every answer must be supported by words in the passage. If you can't find proof, it's probably wrong.

Common ISEE Answer Traps for Point-of-View Questions

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REMEMBER THIS

Think of it like choosing a crayon. If the passage uses gentle colors (mild opinion words), don't pick a bright red answer (an extreme opinion). Match the strength of the answer to the strength of the words in the passage.

SECTION 8

Point of View in Fiction vs. Nonfiction

On the ISEE, you'll see both fiction (made-up stories) and nonfiction (true information) passages. Point-of-view questions work a little differently for each type. Here's a helpful comparison.

	Fiction (Stories)	Nonfiction (Information)
Who is the narrator?	A character in the story or an outside narrator	Usually the author (the person who wrote it)
What to look for	Pronouns like I, she, he, they — and feelings of the narrator	Opinion words, tone, and what facts the author chose to include
Common question	"From whose point of view is this story told?"	"What is the author's point of view about this topic?"
Example	"I watched the sunset." → First person, narrator is the character	"Solar panels are important for our future." → Author supports solar energy

How Point of View Works in Fiction vs. Nonfiction

As you get older, you'll study even more about point of view. You'll learn about unreliable narrators (narrators who don't tell the whole truth) and how authors use point of view to create suspense. For now, focus on the basics — they'll carry you a long way on the ISEE!

SECTION 9

Practice Problems

Time to show what you've learned! Read each mini-passage or question carefully. Use the clue words and steps we practiced. Remember — on the real ISEE, always answer every question, even if you have to guess!

Question 1: CONCEPTUAL

Read the sentence: "I was so nervous that my hands were shaking before the spelling bee." From what point of view is this sentence written?

A. First person
B. Second person
C. Third person
D. The spelling bee's point of view

Show answer (A)

The correct answer is (A). The word "I" tells us the narrator is IN the story, which is first person. (B) is wrong because second person would use "you." (C) is wrong because third person would use "he" or "she." (D) is wrong because an event like a spelling bee cannot be a narrator.

Question 2: BASIC

Read the passage: "Marcus loved building model airplanes. He spent hours in his room, carefully gluing tiny pieces together. His sister thought it was boring, but Marcus didn't care." From whose point of view is this passage told?

A. Marcus, using first person
B. Marcus's sister, using first person
C. A narrator outside the story, using third person
D. The reader, using second person

Show answer (C)

The correct answer is (C). The passage uses "he," "his," and "Marcus" — these are third-person words. The narrator is outside the story looking in. (A) is wrong because if Marcus were the narrator, the passage would say "I loved building." (B) is wrong for the same reason — the sister would say "I thought." (D) is wrong because there is no "you" in the passage.

Question 3: INTERMEDIATE

Read the passage: "Honeybees are truly remarkable insects. They work together in amazing ways to build their hives and make honey. Sadly, honeybee populations have been dropping in recent years. It is important that people help protect these wonderful creatures." What is the author's point of view about honeybees?

A. The author thinks honeybees are dangerous.
B. The author admires honeybees and is worried about them.
C. The author does not care about honeybees.
D. The author is angry at people who keep bees.

Show answer (B)

The correct answer is (B). The clue words "remarkable," "amazing," and "wonderful" show admiration. The word "sadly" shows worry. Together, they tell us the author admires honeybees and is concerned about their future. (A) is wrong because the passage never says bees are dangerous. (C) is wrong because the strong positive language shows the author clearly cares. (D) is wrong because the passage never expresses anger at beekeepers.

Question 4: APPLIED

Read the passage: "I had never been so far from home. The forest trail twisted and turned through tall trees that blocked out the sunlight. Every snap of a twig made me jump. I wanted to turn back, but I knew the campsite was just ahead. I took a deep breath and kept walking." Which statement best describes the narrator's point of view?

A. The narrator feels bored and wants to go home.
B. The narrator feels scared but pushes through bravely.
C. The narrator is angry about being lost in the forest.
D. The narrator thinks the forest is a beautiful place.

Show answer (B)

The correct answer is (B). The narrator uses "I" (first person) and shares feelings of fear: "made me jump" and "wanted to turn back." But the narrator also shows bravery by taking a deep breath and keeping going. (A) is wrong because the narrator seems scared, not bored. (C) is wrong because there's no anger mentioned. (D) is wrong because the narrator describes the forest as dark and scary, not beautiful.

Question 5: CRITICAL THINKING

Read the passage: "The town council voted last week to close the old library on Oak Street. The library had served the community for over fifty years. Council member Davis called it 'a necessary decision,' while longtime resident Mrs. Park said she was heartbroken. The new library will open downtown next spring." What is the author's point of view about the library closing?

A. The author is sad about the closing.
B. The author is happy about the new library.
C. The author presents both sides without giving a personal opinion.
D. The author agrees with Council member Davis.

Show answer (C)

The correct answer is (C). This is a tricky one! The passage shares two different opinions — Davis thinks it's necessary, and Mrs. Park is heartbroken — but the author does NOT use any opinion words of their own. There are no words like "sadly" or "fortunately." The author stays neutral and just reports the facts. (A) is wrong because the sadness belongs to Mrs. Park, not the author. (B) is wrong because the author never says anything positive about the new library. (D) is wrong because the author doesn't take either side.

SUMMARY

Let's Review What You Learned!

Summary

Great work! You now know how to identify point of view on the ISEE. Remember: first person uses "I" and "me," second person uses "you," and third person uses "he," "she," and "they." To find the author's point of view, look for opinion words (like "amazing," "sadly," or "should") and think about the overall tone of the passage.

On test day, use these strategies: Read the questions FIRST so you know what to look for. Circle clue words as you read the passage. Watch out for trap answers that are too extreme or don't match the passage. And always answer every question — there's no penalty for guessing on the ISEE! You've got this!