Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 129 · 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?
   Have you ever met a goat that could read? (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
2. 2.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) What if your parrot told everyone your secrets? (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) Buzz! A huge bee landed on my nose.
3. 3.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (c) My story is about a day at school.
4. 4.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
5. 5.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya. (c) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal.
6. 6.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
7. 7.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
8. 8.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Who would steal a whole bus? (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
9. 9.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) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir.
10. 10.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “I can fly!” said the little elephant. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
11. 11.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 a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
12. 12.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window. (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) Where do lost socks really go?
13. 13.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Why did the cat bring home a fish every day? (b) Buzz! A huge bee landed on my nose. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
14. 14.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) What was hiding inside Grandma’s locked trunk? (b) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (c) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
15. 15.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) How do you catch a cloud in a jar?
16. 16.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away.
17. 17.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal.
18. 18.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) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera.
19. 19.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) Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot.
20. 20.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car? (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
21. 21.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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
22. 22.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Clang! The temple bell rang by itself at midnight. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
23. 23.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
24. 24.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
25. 25.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) Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic.
26. 26.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa. (c) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks.
27. 27.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
28. 28.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
29. 29.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Who left giant footprints on our roof? (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
30. 30.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) Have you ever heard a tree laugh? (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
31. 31.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook.
32. 32.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) Who would steal a whole bus?
33. 33.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
34. 34.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
35. 35.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
36. 36.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
37. 37.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
38. 38.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (b) Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
39. 39.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) In this story I will write about a tree. (b) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav. (c) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya.
40. 40.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) What would you do if your shadow ran away? (c) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.

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