Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 151 · 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?
   Where do lost socks really go? (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
2. 2.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman. (c) How do you catch a cloud in a jar?
3. 3.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
4. 4.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
5. 5.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) In this story I will write about a tree. (b) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
6. 6.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) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal.
7. 7.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Who would steal a whole bus? (b) What if your parrot told everyone your secrets? (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
8. 8.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani.
9. 9.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
10. 10.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
11. 11.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 sound word (c) it starts with a question
12. 12.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) Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark.
13. 13.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) What was hiding inside Grandma’s locked trunk? (c) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa.
14. 14.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
15. 15.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) My story is about a day at school.
16. 16.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 a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
17. 17.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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
18. 18.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) How do you catch a cloud in a jar?
19. 19.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car? (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) My story is about a day at school.
20. 20.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
21. 21.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) Who left giant footprints on our roof?
22. 22.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “I can fly!” said the little elephant. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face.
23. 23.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav. (c) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill.
24. 24.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) What if your parrot told everyone your secrets? (b) Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
25. 25.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet. (b) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
26. 26.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook.
27. 27.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
28. 28.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (b) “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
29. 29.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
30. 30.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) There was a house. It had a door.
31. 31.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) In this story I will write about a tree. (b) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
32. 32.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face.
33. 33.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
34. 34.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
35. 35.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark. (c) Where do lost socks really go?
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?
    “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
38. 38.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) What if your parrot told everyone your secrets? (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
39. 39.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
40. 40.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

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