Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 167 · 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) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) Who left giant footprints on our roof?
2. 2.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (c) Have you ever heard a tree laugh?
3. 3.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) Why did the cat bring home a fish every day?
4. 4.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
5. 5.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) “I can fly!” said the little elephant. (c) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum.
6. 6.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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
7. 7.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
8. 8.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
9. 9.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) In this story I will write about a tree. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) How do you catch a cloud in a jar?
10. 10.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
11. 11.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car? (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
12. 12.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman. (b) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
13. 13.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window.
14. 14.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya.
15. 15.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
16. 16.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) Why was the old well glowing at midnight?
17. 17.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev.
18. 18.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Who would steal a whole bus? (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
19. 19.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
20. 20.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) What was hiding inside Grandma’s locked trunk? (b) Have you ever met a goat that could read? (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
21. 21.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) What if your parrot told everyone your secrets? (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
22. 22.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) What would you do if your shadow ran away? (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
23. 23.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
24. 24.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
25. 25.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
26. 26.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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
27. 27.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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
28. 28.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
29. 29.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot.
30. 30.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face. (b) Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant? (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
31. 31.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
32. 32.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
33. 33.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
34. 34.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
35. 35.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
36. 36.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa. (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) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill. (c) My story is about a day at school.
38. 38.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (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) “I can fly!” said the little elephant. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
40. 40.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word

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