Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 101 · 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 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) Have you ever met a goat that could read?
2. 2.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face. (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) Buzz! A huge bee landed on my nose.
3. 3.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) What would you do if your shadow ran away? (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
4. 4.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant? (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
5. 5.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet.
6. 6.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   What was hiding inside Grandma’s locked trunk? (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
7. 7.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill. (b) What was hiding inside Grandma’s locked trunk? (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
8. 8.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa.
9. 9.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (c) There was a house. It had a door.
10. 10.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
11. 11.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
12. 12.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
13. 13.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic. (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
14. 14.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
15. 15.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (c) My story is about a day at school.
16. 16.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
17. 17.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Have you ever heard a tree laugh? (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
18. 18.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
19. 19.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir.
20. 20.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
21. 21.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Where do lost socks really go? (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
22. 22.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car? (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
23. 23.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
24. 24.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Did you know our school has a secret door? (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
25. 25.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
26. 26.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum.
27. 27.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
28. 28.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor.
29. 29.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (c) Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window.
30. 30.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
31. 31.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
32. 32.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa.
33. 33.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook.
34. 34.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) What if your parrot told everyone your secrets?
35. 35.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal.
36. 36.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
37. 37.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
38. 38.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) Who left giant footprints on our roof?
39. 39.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
40. 40.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav. (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.

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