Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 15 · 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 hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum.
2. 2.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face. (c) Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant?
3. 3.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill. (b) Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window. (c) My story is about a day at school.
4. 4.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya. (b) Have you ever met a goat that could read? (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
5. 5.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (b) Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
6. 6.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   Where do lost socks really go? (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
7. 7.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
8. 8.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
9. 9.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
10. 10.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
11. 11.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) What would you do if your shadow ran away? (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
12. 12.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
13. 13.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond.
14. 14.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “I can fly!” said the little elephant. (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa.
15. 15.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 a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
16. 16.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant?
17. 17.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Did you know our school has a secret door? (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
18. 18.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
19. 19.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car? (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
20. 20.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
21. 21.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic.
22. 22.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa.
23. 23.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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
24. 24.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Have you ever met a goat that could read? (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
25. 25.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
26. 26.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
27. 27.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) What was hiding inside Grandma’s locked trunk?
28. 28.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “I can fly!” said the little elephant. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
29. 29.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
30. 30.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Did you know our school has a secret door? (b) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
31. 31.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 question (c) it starts with a sound word
32. 32.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 question (c) it starts with a sound word
33. 33.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
34. 34.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
35. 35.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Did you know our school has a secret door? (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) Who would steal a whole bus?
36. 36.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
37. 37.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha.
38. 38.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
39. 39.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant? (c) How do you catch a cloud in a jar?
40. 40.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question

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