Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 253 · 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?
   Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
2. 2.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
3. 3.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
4. 4.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) In this story I will write about a tree. (b) How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
5. 5.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond.
6. 6.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) What would you do if your shadow ran away?
7. 7.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
8. 8.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) What if your parrot told everyone your secrets? (b) Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
9. 9.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
10. 10.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman. (b) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
11. 11.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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
12. 12.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house. (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
13. 13.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya. (b) Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
14. 14.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya. (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha.
15. 15.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) Did you know our school has a secret door?
16. 16.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
17. 17.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet. (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
18. 18.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
19. 19.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
20. 20.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark. (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
21. 21.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant?
22. 22.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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
23. 23.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav. (b) Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic. (c) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
24. 24.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
25. 25.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman. (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) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
27. 27.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) Clang! The temple bell rang by itself at midnight. (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
28. 28.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) Why was the old well glowing at midnight?
29. 29.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 a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
30. 30.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook.
31. 31.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
32. 32.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
33. 33.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) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav.
34. 34.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) What if your parrot told everyone your secrets? (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
35. 35.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
36. 36.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
37. 37.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
38. 38.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Who would steal a whole bus? (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
39. 39.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
40. 40.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Why did the cat bring home a fish every day? (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.

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