I’m a writer blog

Guidelines for writing Poems, Stories and Tales

Alternatives to Second-Person POV Narration

What are alternatives to second person?

Generally, it is best to avoid second person pronouns in scholarly writing because they remove the distance between the reader and the writer. Instead, try to use first or third person pronouns to enhance clarity. Most Walden programs and APA (2020) allow the appropriate use of first person.

What can I use instead of first and second person?

Here are some common points of view:

  • A paper using first-person point of view uses pronouns such as “I,” “me,” “we,” and “us.”
  • A paper using second-person point of view uses the pronoun “you.”
  • A paper using third-person point of view uses pronouns such as “he,” “she,” “it,” “they,” “him,” “her,” “his,” and “them.”


What are the 4 types of narrator?

Let’s take a step back for a moment to remind ourselves of the four types of narrator that are available to us when telling a story.

  • First-Person Narrative Voice.
  • Second-Person Narrative Voice.
  • Third-Person Narrative Voice.
  • Omniscient Third-Person Narrator.



What are the 3 types of narration?

Types of Narration

  • First Person – In this point of view, a character (typically the protagonist, but not always) is telling the story.
  • Second Person – In this point of view, the author uses a narrator to speak to the reader.
  • Third Person – In this point of view, an external narrator is telling the story.


How do you avoid second person pronouns?

Replace the word “you” with “people, person, anyone, someone, those, they, he, she,” etc. This is an effective method, but it grows stale quickly. No one wants to read a paper where “you” has obviously been replaced with one of these pronouns.

Is 2nd person formal?

Like first- and third-person pronouns, they are a type of personal pronoun. The second person is used frequently in everyday speech and even in some formal speech and writing, but it should be avoided in academic writing. Second-person pronouns vary less in form than other kinds of personal pronouns.

What can I use instead of second in an essay?

“Next,” “Then,” “In addition.” “Additionally,”

What are the 4 types of point of view?

In order of how common they are, the 4 most common types of point of view include:

  • Third-person, including: Third-person limited point of view. Third-person omniscient point of view.
  • First-person point of view.
  • Second-person point of view.



How do you avoid first person in academic writing?

If you do need to help a client reduce use of the first person in their academic writing, common techniques include switching to the passive voice and using the third person. Here, using the passive voice means we can cut the first-person pronoun “we”.



What can I say instead of first second third?

consider the following expressions as suitable equivalents.

  • Initially / To begin with OR to start with (less formal) = First(ly)
  • Then / next / after that / afterwards = later.
  • In addition / additionally = Second(ly)
  • Furthermore / moreover OR What’s more (less formal) = Third(ly)

Can you use second person in a formal essay?

Note: Academic writing generally avoids second-person point of view in favor of third-person point of view. Second person can be too casual for formal writing, and it can also alienate the reader if the reader does not identify with the idea.

Is 2nd person informal?

The third person is the standard grammatical voice in academic writing, where the first person can feel too subjective and the second person is too informal.