Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 17 · 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) How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) My story is about a day at school.
2. 2.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   “I can fly!” said the little elephant. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
3. 3.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) “I can fly!” said the little elephant.
4. 4.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa.
5. 5.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
6. 6.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   Who left giant footprints on our roof? (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
7. 7.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
8. 8.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) Did you know our school has a secret door?
9. 9.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal. (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) Why was the old well glowing at midnight?
10. 10.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) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir.
11. 11.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) “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman.
12. 12.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Have you ever heard a tree laugh? (b) Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
13. 13.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
14. 14.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav.
15. 15.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Have you ever heard a tree laugh? (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
16. 16.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
17. 17.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    What if your parrot told everyone your secrets? (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
18. 18.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet. (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) There was a house. It had a door. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal.
20. 20.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
21. 21.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav. (b) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks. (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
22. 22.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
23. 23.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Have you ever met a goat that could read? (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
24. 24.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill. (b) Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
25. 25.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) What would you do if your shadow ran away? (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) Who would steal a whole bus?
26. 26.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
27. 27.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) In this story I will write about a tree. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) Buzz! A huge bee landed on my nose.
28. 28.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
29. 29.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) What was hiding inside Grandma’s locked trunk? (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
30. 30.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house.
31. 31.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook.
32. 32.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond.
33. 33.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant? (c) “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani.
34. 34.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
35. 35.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) In this story I will write about a tree. (b) Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
36. 36.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond. (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) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car?
38. 38.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
39. 39.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
40. 40.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Who would steal a whole bus? (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking

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