Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 136 · 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) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (b) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house. (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
2. 2.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
3. 3.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   Who left giant footprints on our roof? (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
4. 4.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond.
5. 5.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   Who would steal a whole bus? (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
6. 6.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
7. 7.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Who left giant footprints on our roof? (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
8. 8.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
9. 9.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (b) Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
10. 10.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) Did you know our school has a secret door? (c) Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away.
11. 11.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Have you ever heard a tree laugh? (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
12. 12.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window. (b) Who left giant footprints on our roof? (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
13. 13.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Have you ever heard a tree laugh? (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
14. 14.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 a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
15. 15.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face. (b) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
16. 16.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Clang! The temple bell rang by itself at midnight. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
17. 17.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant? (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
18. 18.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) In this story I will write about a tree. (b) Have you ever met a goat that could read? (c) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya.
19. 19.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (c) My story is about a day at school.
20. 20.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
21. 21.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) In this story I will write about a tree. (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) What if your parrot told everyone your secrets?
22. 22.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
23. 23.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (b) Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (c) My story is about a day at school.
24. 24.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (b) Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark. (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
25. 25.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
26. 26.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
27. 27.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha.
28. 28.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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
29. 29.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
30. 30.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    What would you do if your shadow ran away? (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
31. 31.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) In this story I will write about a tree. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal.
32. 32.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
33. 33.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) Buzz! A huge bee landed on my nose.
34. 34.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
35. 35.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
36. 36.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (c) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks.
37. 37.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Where do lost socks really go? (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
38. 38.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 a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
39. 39.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) Clang! The temple bell rang by itself at midnight.
40. 40.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (b) How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.

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