Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 118 · 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.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
2. 2.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window. (b) Have you ever met a goat that could read? (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
3. 3.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) Buzz! A huge bee landed on my nose. (c) Why was the old well glowing at midnight?
4. 4.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
5. 5.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (c) Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away.
6. 6.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house.
7. 7.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant?
8. 8.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
9. 9.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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
10. 10.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
11. 11.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav.
12. 12.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (b) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya. (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
13. 13.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks.
14. 14.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) Where do lost socks really go?
15. 15.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot. (c) Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook.
16. 16.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill. (b) Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
17. 17.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Who would steal a whole bus? (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?
    Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car? (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
19. 19.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
20. 20.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (b) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
21. 21.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
22. 22.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Why did the cat bring home a fish every day? (b) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
23. 23.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) Clang! The temple bell rang by itself at midnight.
24. 24.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
25. 25.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
26. 26.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev.
27. 27.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
28. 28.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
29. 29.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav.
30. 30.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa.
31. 31.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
32. 32.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Why did the cat bring home a fish every day? (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
33. 33.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Clang! The temple bell rang by itself at midnight. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
34. 34.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Have you ever met a goat that could read? (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
35. 35.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car?
36. 36.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
37. 37.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
38. 38.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
39. 39.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
40. 40.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word

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