What Is Personal Voice?

1. In writing, “personal voice” is best described as:

The volume of the writer’s speaking voice

The writer’s unique way of expressing ideas, feelings, and personality

The number of sentences in a paragraph

The size of the writer’s handwriting

Personal voice is about how a writer’s personality and style come through in the writing.

Explanation

Personal voice is about how a writer’s personality and style come through in the writing.

2. Which sentence shows a stronger personal voice?

I went to the store.

I sleep.

I went to the store, still half-asleep, hoping the cereal aisle could fix my whole life.

There was a store.

(c) uses humor, mood, and specific details that sound like a real person speaking.

Explanation

(c) uses humor, mood, and specific details that sound like a real person speaking.

3. Personal voice is MOST connected to:

Font size

Word choice and tone

Page margins

Number of pages

Voice comes from the words you choose and how they sound together.

Explanation

Voice comes from the words you choose and how they sound together.

4. Which point of view is most often used to show a strong personal voice in a narrative?

First person (“I”)

Second person (“You all”) only

Third person (“He/She”) never

No point of view

First person can easily show thoughts, feelings, and personality.

Explanation

First person can easily show thoughts, feelings, and personality.

5. Which sentence sounds MOST like it has personal voice?

The dog ran.

The dog was fast.

My dog blasted past me like a furry rocket, ears flapping and tongue flying.

Dog went away.

(c) uses vivid detail and playful comparison that show personality.

Explanation

(c) uses vivid detail and playful comparison that show personality.

6. A writer shows personal voice when they:

Copy someone else’s style exactly

Use only formal vocabulary from a thesaurus

Use words and phrases that fit their personality and purpose

Remove all description

Voice is about being authentic and intentional with language.

Explanation

Voice is about being authentic and intentional with language.

7. Personal voice helps readers feel like:

They are reading a random list of facts

They are listening to a unique person telling a story

They are solving a math problem

They are reading a dictionary

Strong voice makes the writer feel real and present.

Explanation

Strong voice makes the writer feel real and present.

8. Which sentence shows personal voice and emotion?

I walked into the room.

I walked into the room quickly.

I walked into the room, wishing I could melt into the floor before anyone saw my face.

The room was there.

(c) shows how the narrator feels, not just what they do.

Explanation

(c) shows how the narrator feels, not just what they do.

9. True or False: Personal voice is only allowed in fiction, never in real-life writing.

True

False

Voice matters in narratives, memoirs, speeches, and even some informational writing.

Explanation

Voice matters in narratives, memoirs, speeches, and even some informational writing.

10. Which beginning has the strongest personal voice?

One day, I woke up.

It was a day.

The alarm screamed at 6:00 a.m., and I immediately regretted all my life choices.

There was a morning.

(c) uses humor and attitude that feel very personal.

Explanation

(c) uses humor and attitude that feel very personal.

11. A writer wants to add more personal voice. Which change would help MOST?

Remove all adjectives and adverbs

Replace every “I” with “the student”

Add their thoughts, feelings, and a bit of their personality

Make all sentences the same length

Thoughts, feelings, and personality are the heart of voice.

Explanation

Thoughts, feelings, and personality are the heart of voice.

12. Which word choice BEST supports a strong personal voice?

The food was good.

The food was okay.

The food was edible.

The food tasted like someone had boiled sadness and sprinkled it with salt.

(d) is vivid, funny, and clearly has personality.

Explanation

(d) is vivid, funny, and clearly has personality.

13. Personal voice can help the reader:

Feel bored

Feel confused

Connect with the writer and care about the story

Forget the main character’s name

Voice builds connection and interest.

Explanation

Voice builds connection and interest.

14. A teacher says, “I want to hear YOUR voice in this narrative.” This means:

Copy a famous author’s style

Use your own way of seeing and describing the experience

Turn it into a research paper

Remove all emotion

The teacher wants authenticity and individuality.

Explanation

The teacher wants authenticity and individuality.

15. Which of these sounds the LEAST like personal voice?

Honestly, I was more scared of Mom’s glare than of the thunder outside.

In conclusion, the storm was intense.

My hands shook as I reached for the doorknob, my heart doing cartwheels.

I knew this was going to be one of those nights I’d never forget.

(b) is generic and formal; it sounds more like an essay wrap-up than a personal voice in a story.

Explanation

(b) is generic and formal; it sounds more like an essay wrap-up than a personal voice in a story.