Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 34 · 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) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (c) What would you do if your shadow ran away?
2. 2.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
3. 3.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (b) How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
4. 4.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) What if your parrot told everyone your secrets? (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
5. 5.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa. (c) “I can fly!” said the little elephant.
6. 6.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant? (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
7. 7.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) “I can fly!” said the little elephant.
8. 8.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (c) My story is about a day at school.
9. 9.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
10. 10.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
11. 11.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
12. 12.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Did you know our school has a secret door? (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
13. 13.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum.
14. 14.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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
15. 15.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
16. 16.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Where do lost socks really go? (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
17. 17.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
18. 18.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 sound word (c) it starts with a question
19. 19.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
20. 20.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) “I can fly!” said the little elephant. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
21. 21.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Who left giant footprints on our roof? (b) Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
22. 22.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
23. 23.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
24. 24.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Who left giant footprints on our roof? (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
25. 25.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Where do lost socks really go? (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill.
26. 26.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
27. 27.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Who would steal a whole bus? (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir.
28. 28.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) Did you know our school has a secret door?
29. 29.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav. (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
30. 30.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic.
31. 31.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman.
32. 32.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
33. 33.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
34. 34.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 a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
35. 35.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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
36. 36.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) Have you ever heard a tree laugh? (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
37. 37.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    What was hiding inside Grandma’s locked trunk? (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) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark. (c) My story is about a day at school.
39. 39.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    What if your parrot told everyone your secrets? (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) What would you do if your shadow ran away? (b) Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (c) In this story I will write about a tree.

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