Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 191 · 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?
   “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
2. 2.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Have you ever heard a tree laugh? (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) Did you know our school has a secret door?
3. 3.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot. (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?
   Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
5. 5.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal. (c) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya.
6. 6.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   Why did the cat bring home a fish every day? (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?
   What if your parrot told everyone your secrets? (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) Clang! The temple bell rang by itself at midnight. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
9. 9.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) Why did the cat bring home a fish every day? (c) Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook.
10. 10.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car? (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) Where do lost socks really go? (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
12. 12.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook. (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
13. 13.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Buzz! A huge bee landed on my nose. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir.
14. 14.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
15. 15.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
16. 16.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot.
17. 17.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
18. 18.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) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya.
19. 19.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (c) What was hiding inside Grandma’s locked trunk?
20. 20.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) Why was the old well glowing at midnight?
21. 21.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
22. 22.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill.
23. 23.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Did you know our school has a secret door? (b) What if your parrot told everyone your secrets? (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
24. 24.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark.
25. 25.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
26. 26.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) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav.
27. 27.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
28. 28.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) My story is about a day at school.
29. 29.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks. (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
30. 30.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
31. 31.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face. (b) What would you do if your shadow ran away? (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
32. 32.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
33. 33.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
34. 34.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev.
35. 35.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Where do lost socks really go? (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (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 a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
37. 37.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
38. 38.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet. (c) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
39. 39.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Have you ever met a goat that could read? (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
40. 40.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.

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