Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 272 · 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) There was a house. It had a door. (b) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (c) Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window.
2. 2.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
3. 3.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
4. 4.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
5. 5.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa.
6. 6.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   Have you ever heard a tree laugh? (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
7. 7.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car? (b) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
8. 8.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 a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
9. 9.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) In this story I will write about a tree. (b) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (c) “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman.
10. 10.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya. (c) Have you ever met a goat that could read?
11. 11.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Have you ever met a goat that could read? (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) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) Who left giant footprints on our roof?
13. 13.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) Who would steal a whole bus? (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
14. 14.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
15. 15.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
16. 16.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Who would steal a whole bus? (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
17. 17.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Where do lost socks really go? (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house.
18. 18.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) How do you catch a cloud in a jar?
19. 19.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera.
20. 20.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) “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman.
21. 21.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant? (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) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) Did you know our school has a secret door? (c) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
23. 23.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
24. 24.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya.
25. 25.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
26. 26.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
27. 27.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
28. 28.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
29. 29.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) What if your parrot told everyone your secrets? (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
30. 30.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
31. 31.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) “I can fly!” said the little elephant.
32. 32.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant? (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
33. 33.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) Have you ever met a goat that could read? (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
34. 34.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
35. 35.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill.
36. 36.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks. (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) Did you know our school has a secret door?
37. 37.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
38. 38.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) What was hiding inside Grandma’s locked trunk?
39. 39.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
40. 40.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani.

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