Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 240 · 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) “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (b) Did you know our school has a secret door? (c) My story is about a day at school.
2. 2.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
3. 3.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Where do lost socks really go? (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
4. 4.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) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev.
5. 5.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “I can fly!” said the little elephant. (b) Who left giant footprints on our roof? (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
6. 6.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   What would you do if your shadow ran away? (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
7. 7.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant? (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
8. 8.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car? (c) My story is about a day at school.
9. 9.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
10. 10.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) Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet.
11. 11.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
12. 12.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) Who left giant footprints on our roof?
13. 13.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (c) Did you know our school has a secret door?
14. 14.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
15. 15.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Have you ever met a goat that could read? (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
16. 16.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
17. 17.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant? (b) What was hiding inside Grandma’s locked trunk? (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
18. 18.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
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) “I can fly!” said the little elephant.
20. 20.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
21. 21.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
22. 22.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) Did you know our school has a secret door? (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
23. 23.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Buzz! A huge bee landed on my nose. (b) Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
24. 24.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
25. 25.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot. (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
26. 26.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) Clang! The temple bell rang by itself at midnight.
27. 27.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook. (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?
    What was hiding inside Grandma’s locked trunk? (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
29. 29.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya. (b) Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
30. 30.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa.
31. 31.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
32. 32.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house.
33. 33.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 sound word (c) it starts with a question
34. 34.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark. (b) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
35. 35.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera.
36. 36.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window. (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
37. 37.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond.
38. 38.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
39. 39.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
40. 40.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Have you ever heard a tree laugh? (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question

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