Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 304 · 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?
   “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (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) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic. (c) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa.
3. 3.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill. (c) What if your parrot told everyone your secrets?
4. 4.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Clang! The temple bell rang by itself at midnight. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot.
5. 5.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
6. 6.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) “I can fly!” said the little elephant. (c) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa.
7. 7.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
8. 8.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
9. 9.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) Who would steal a whole bus?
10. 10.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car? (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
11. 11.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (c) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house.
12. 12.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) My story is about a day at school.
13. 13.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) Have you ever met a goat that could read?
14. 14.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
15. 15.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) “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman.
16. 16.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Why did the cat bring home a fish every day? (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
17. 17.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha.
18. 18.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) Who left giant footprints on our roof? (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
19. 19.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav.
20. 20.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant? (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
21. 21.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) Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face.
22. 22.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
23. 23.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
24. 24.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) Where do lost socks really go?
25. 25.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Who left giant footprints on our roof? (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
26. 26.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) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
27. 27.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) In this story I will write about a tree. (b) How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
28. 28.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) My story is about a day at school.
29. 29.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) Clang! The temple bell rang by itself at midnight.
30. 30.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) Where do lost socks really go?
31. 31.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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
32. 32.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) What if your parrot told everyone your secrets? (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car?
33. 33.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal.
34. 34.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house. (c) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum.
35. 35.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
36. 36.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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
37. 37.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
38. 38.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) In this story I will write about a tree. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) Did you know our school has a secret door?
39. 39.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
40. 40.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Did you know our school has a secret door? (b) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.

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