Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 319 · 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) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car? (c) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor.
2. 2.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) Have you ever met a goat that could read?
3. 3.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (c) What was hiding inside Grandma’s locked trunk?
4. 4.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
5. 5.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) Who would steal a whole bus? (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
6. 6.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   Have you ever heard a tree laugh? (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
7. 7.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
8. 8.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
9. 9.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) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha.
10. 10.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond.
11. 11.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Did you know our school has a secret door? (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev.
12. 12.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) Buzz! A huge bee landed on my nose. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
13. 13.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav. (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) Have you ever heard a tree laugh?
14. 14.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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
15. 15.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
16. 16.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
17. 17.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
18. 18.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
19. 19.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal. (b) Who would steal a whole bus? (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
20. 20.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “I can fly!” said the little elephant. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav.
21. 21.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant? (b) Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face. (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
22. 22.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away. (c) Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook.
23. 23.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house. (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
24. 24.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
25. 25.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) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
26. 26.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
27. 27.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 a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
28. 28.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (b) Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic. (c) My story is about a day at school.
29. 29.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
30. 30.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
31. 31.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 a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
32. 32.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
33. 33.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
34. 34.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
35. 35.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
36. 36.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
37. 37.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
38. 38.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (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?
    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
40. 40.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question

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