Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 1 · 40 questions

Writer's tip (Grab them at once): Start with someone speaking: “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa. Start with a question: Where do lost socks really go? Start with a sound word: Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond. Avoid “This is a story about…”.

1. 1.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Who left giant footprints on our roof? (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
2. 2.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal.
3. 3.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
4. 4.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   Have you ever met a goat that could read? (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
5. 5.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (b) What was hiding inside Grandma’s locked trunk? (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
6. 6.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant?
7. 7.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal. (b) Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
8. 8.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “I can fly!” said the little elephant. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) What would you do if your shadow ran away?
9. 9.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya.
10. 10.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (b) Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant? (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
11. 11.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “I can fly!” said the little elephant. (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
12. 12.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Have you ever met a goat that could read? (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa.
13. 13.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa. (c) “I can fly!” said the little elephant.
14. 14.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
15. 15.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
16. 16.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) Why did the cat bring home a fish every day? (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
17. 17.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman.
18. 18.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) What if your parrot told everyone your secrets? (b) Buzz! A huge bee landed on my nose. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
19. 19.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
20. 20.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot. (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
21. 21.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) Have you ever met a goat that could read?
22. 22.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car?
23. 23.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond. (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill.
24. 24.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Why did the cat bring home a fish every day? (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
25. 25.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
26. 26.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) Did you know our school has a secret door? (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
27. 27.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
28. 28.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa. (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
29. 29.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
30. 30.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) Have you ever heard a tree laugh? (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
31. 31.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
32. 32.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
33. 33.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
34. 34.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
35. 35.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
36. 36.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
37. 37.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
38. 38.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
39. 39.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant? (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
40. 40.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house.

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