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Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 259 · 40 questions
TalentJR

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…”.

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  1. 1.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
  2. 2.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum.
  3. 3.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) What if your parrot told everyone your secrets?
  4. 4.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark. (b) Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window. (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
  5. 5.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) My story is about a day at school.
  6. 6.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) Where do lost socks really go?
  7. 7.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (b) Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
  8. 8.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
  9. 9.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
  10. 10.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Clang! The temple bell rang by itself at midnight.
    (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
  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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
  12. 12.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Have you ever heard a tree laugh? (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
  13. 13.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (c) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks.
  14. 14.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car? (c) My story is about a day at school.
  15. 15.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) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera.
  16. 16.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic. (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
  17. 17.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (b) Did you know our school has a secret door? (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
  18. 18.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks.
  19. 19.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “I can fly!” said the little elephant.
    (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) “I can fly!” said the little elephant. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
  21. 21.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark.
    (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
  22. 22.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face.
    (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
  23. 23.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (b) Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face. (c) My story is about a day at school.
  24. 24.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Buzz! A huge bee landed on my nose. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
  25. 25.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
  26. 26.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant? (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
  27. 27.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
  28. 28.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
  29. 29.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Who would steal a whole bus? (b) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house. (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
  30. 30.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Have you ever heard a tree laugh? (b) How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
  31. 31.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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
  32. 32.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman. (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) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa.
  34. 34.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away. (c) Why did the cat bring home a fish every day?
  35. 35.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) Why did the cat bring home a fish every day? (c) What would you do if your shadow ran away?
  36. 36.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) What would you do if your shadow ran away? (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
  37. 37.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 a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
  38. 38.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic.
    (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
  39. 39.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha.
  40. 40.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya. (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.

Answer key

  1. Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window.
  2. “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum.
  3. What if your parrot told everyone your secrets?
  4. This story is about a cat and a mouse.
  5. Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet.
  6. This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
  7. This is my story. I hope you like it.
  8. “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir.
  9. it starts with a sound word
  10. it starts with a sound word
  11. it starts with a sound word
  12. Have you ever heard a tree laugh?
  13. Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
  14. Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car?
  15. “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera.
  16. Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic.
  17. I am going to tell you about my holiday.
  18. Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks.
  19. it starts with someone speaking
  20. “I can fly!” said the little elephant.
  21. it starts with a sound word
  22. it starts with a sound word
  23. My story is about a day at school.
  24. Buzz! A huge bee landed on my nose.
  25. Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face.
  26. Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant?
  27. Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot.
  28. “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor.
  29. In this story I will write about a tree.
  30. There was a girl. She had a bag.
  31. it starts with someone speaking
  32. “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman.
  33. “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa.
  34. There was a house. It had a door.
  35. It was a normal day and nothing happened.
  36. What would you do if your shadow ran away?
  37. it starts with someone speaking
  38. it starts with a sound word
  39. “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha.
  40. “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya.

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