Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 28 · 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?
   “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
2. 2.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
3. 3.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   Who would steal a whole bus? (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
4. 4.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (b) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill. (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
5. 5.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani.
6. 6.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (b) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
7. 7.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) Why was the old well glowing at midnight?
8. 8.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant?
9. 9.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet. (c) Buzz! A huge bee landed on my nose.
10. 10.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
11. 11.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (b) Why did the cat bring home a fish every day? (c) My story is about a day at school.
12. 12.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) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir.
13. 13.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
14. 14.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
15. 15.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Have you ever heard a tree laugh? (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
16. 16.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    What was hiding inside Grandma’s locked trunk? (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
17. 17.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away. (b) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
18. 18.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Clang! The temple bell rang by itself at midnight. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
19. 19.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (c) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev.
20. 20.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot.
21. 21.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) Who would steal a whole bus?
22. 22.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (b) Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
23. 23.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 a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
24. 24.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill.
25. 25.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
26. 26.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 a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
27. 27.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) Who left giant footprints on our roof? (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
28. 28.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window. (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
29. 29.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
30. 30.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
31. 31.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
32. 32.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant? (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
33. 33.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
34. 34.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) Where do lost socks really go? (c) Have you ever met a goat that could read?
35. 35.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) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal.
36. 36.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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
38. 38.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Have you ever met a goat that could read? (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
39. 39.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
40. 40.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 sound word (c) it starts with a question

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