Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 124 · 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?
   “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (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) My story is about a day at school. (b) “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (c) Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook.
3. 3.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
4. 4.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
5. 5.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic. (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum.
6. 6.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
7. 7.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Who would steal a whole bus? (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
8. 8.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa. (b) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
9. 9.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
10. 10.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Who left giant footprints on our roof? (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
11. 11.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
12. 12.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
13. 13.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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
14. 14.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) Why was the old well glowing at midnight?
15. 15.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev.
16. 16.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
17. 17.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) In this story I will write about a tree. (b) “I can fly!” said the little elephant. (c) Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic.
18. 18.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) My story is about a day at school.
19. 19.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
20. 20.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Did you know our school has a secret door? (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
21. 21.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
22. 22.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) What would you do if your shadow ran away? (c) My story is about a day at school.
23. 23.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya. (c) What was hiding inside Grandma’s locked trunk?
24. 24.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev.
25. 25.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa.
26. 26.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond. (c) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks.
27. 27.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant? (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
28. 28.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
29. 29.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
30. 30.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark.
31. 31.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) Have you ever heard a tree laugh?
32. 32.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook.
33. 33.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot.
34. 34.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) What if your parrot told everyone your secrets?
35. 35.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
36. 36.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) Have you ever met a goat that could read?
37. 37.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
38. 38.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) Buzz! A huge bee landed on my nose. (c) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor.
39. 39.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
40. 40.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (b) “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman. (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.

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