Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 19 · 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) Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman.
2. 2.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
3. 3.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) My story is about a day at school.
4. 4.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
5. 5.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (b) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa. (c) My story is about a day at school.
6. 6.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) In this story I will write about a tree. (b) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (c) What would you do if your shadow ran away?
7. 7.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Clang! The temple bell rang by itself at midnight. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
8. 8.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 sound word (c) it starts with a question
9. 9.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) Why was the old well glowing at midnight?
10. 10.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
11. 11.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 a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
12. 12.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook.
13. 13.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) Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot.
14. 14.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) Clang! The temple bell rang by itself at midnight.
15. 15.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window. (b) What if your parrot told everyone your secrets? (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
16. 16.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet.
17. 17.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
18. 18.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera.
19. 19.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond.
20. 20.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (c) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav.
21. 21.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
22. 22.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (c) What would you do if your shadow ran away?
23. 23.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav. (c) My story is about a day at school.
24. 24.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
25. 25.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
26. 26.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal. (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
27. 27.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) Why was the old well glowing at midnight?
28. 28.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
29. 29.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) What if your parrot told everyone your secrets?
30. 30.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor.
31. 31.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
32. 32.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
33. 33.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (b) “I can fly!” said the little elephant. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
34. 34.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (c) My story is about a day at school.
35. 35.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car? (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) My story is about a day at school.
36. 36.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) Who would steal a whole bus?
37. 37.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) Have you ever heard a tree laugh? (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
38. 38.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
39. 39.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) Have you ever met a goat that could read?
40. 40.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) Who left giant footprints on our roof?

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