Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 266 · 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) Why did the cat bring home a fish every day? (b) What would you do if your shadow ran away? (c) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
2. 2.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
3. 3.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
4. 4.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Did you know our school has a secret door? (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond.
5. 5.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (c) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa.
6. 6.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani.
7. 7.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks.
8. 8.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill. (b) “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (c) My story is about a day at school.
9. 9.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
10. 10.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (b) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
11. 11.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car? (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks.
12. 12.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (c) Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot.
13. 13.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
14. 14.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera.
15. 15.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face. (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot.
16. 16.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
17. 17.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) Who would steal a whole bus?
18. 18.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
19. 19.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Buzz! A huge bee landed on my nose. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
20. 20.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
21. 21.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away.
22. 22.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
23. 23.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car?
24. 24.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman.
25. 25.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Did you know our school has a secret door? (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
26. 26.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
27. 27.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
28. 28.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Who would steal a whole bus? (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
29. 29.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
30. 30.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
31. 31.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Where do lost socks really go? (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) Clang! The temple bell rang by itself at midnight. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
33. 33.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks. (b) Clang! The temple bell rang by itself at midnight. (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
34. 34.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Have you ever met a goat that could read? (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
35. 35.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond. (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
36. 36.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
37. 37.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) In this story I will write about a tree.
38. 38.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
39. 39.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) “I can fly!” said the little elephant.
40. 40.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) In this story I will write about a tree. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill.

Free creative writing lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/creative-writing-for-kids