Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 221 · 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) There was a house. It had a door. (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor.
2. 2.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   What would you do if your shadow ran away? (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
3. 3.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill. (b) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
4. 4.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) What was hiding inside Grandma’s locked trunk? (b) What would you do if your shadow ran away? (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
5. 5.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) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house.
6. 6.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
7. 7.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face. (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) What was hiding inside Grandma’s locked trunk?
8. 8.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
9. 9.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
10. 10.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Who left giant footprints on our roof? (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya.
11. 11.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
12. 12.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) Have you ever heard a tree laugh?
13. 13.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal.
14. 14.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) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir.
15. 15.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
16. 16.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill. (c) Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot.
17. 17.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
18. 18.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet. (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) 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.
20. 20.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) Clang! The temple bell rang by itself at midnight. (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
21. 21.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya. (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
22. 22.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) Who would steal a whole bus?
23. 23.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
24. 24.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) My story is about a day at school.
25. 25.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
26. 26.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (c) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor.
27. 27.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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
28. 28.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
29. 29.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away.
30. 30.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
31. 31.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (c) My story is about a day at school.
32. 32.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) What would you do if your shadow ran away? (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
33. 33.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) What if your parrot told everyone your secrets? (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
34. 34.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (b) Have you ever met a goat that could read? (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
35. 35.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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
36. 36.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
37. 37.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum.
38. 38.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) In this story I will write about a tree. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) Why did the cat bring home a fish every day?
39. 39.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
40. 40.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

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