Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 295 · 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?
   Buzz! A huge bee landed on my nose. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
2. 2.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya. (c) Have you ever met a goat that could read?
3. 3.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal.
4. 4.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
5. 5.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant? (b) What if your parrot told everyone your secrets? (c) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
6. 6.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
7. 7.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   Where do lost socks really go? (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
8. 8.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Clang! The temple bell rang by itself at midnight. (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
9. 9.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (c) Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face.
10. 10.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window.
11. 11.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) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks.
12. 12.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (b) “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
13. 13.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (c) Why did the cat bring home a fish every day?
14. 14.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
15. 15.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
16. 16.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
17. 17.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) What would you do if your shadow ran away? (c) My story is about a day at school.
18. 18.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “I can fly!” said the little elephant. (b) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill. (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
19. 19.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) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera.
20. 20.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) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house.
21. 21.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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
22. 22.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
23. 23.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
24. 24.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Where do lost socks really go? (b) Why did the cat bring home a fish every day? (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
25. 25.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) What was hiding inside Grandma’s locked trunk? (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
26. 26.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) “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman.
27. 27.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa.
28. 28.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car? (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
29. 29.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
30. 30.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) What if your parrot told everyone your secrets? (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
31. 31.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
32. 32.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
33. 33.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
34. 34.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) My story is about a day at school.
35. 35.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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
36. 36.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
37. 37.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
38. 38.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
39. 39.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car? (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) Why did the cat bring home a fish every day?
40. 40.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

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