Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 4 · 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?
   Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
2. 2.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) What if your parrot told everyone your secrets? (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
3. 3.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) What would you do if your shadow ran away?
4. 4.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) Who left giant footprints on our roof? (c) Why did the cat bring home a fish every day?
5. 5.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
6. 6.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (c) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill.
7. 7.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (c) Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic.
8. 8.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Have you ever met a goat that could read? (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
9. 9.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
10. 10.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant? (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) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) How do you catch a cloud in a jar?
12. 12.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 a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
13. 13.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa.
14. 14.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window.
15. 15.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house. (c) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
16. 16.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant?
17. 17.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa.
18. 18.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away.
19. 19.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet. (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
20. 20.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
21. 21.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
22. 22.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) “I can fly!” said the little elephant. (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
23. 23.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
24. 24.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Why did the cat bring home a fish every day? (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
25. 25.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav.
26. 26.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Have you ever met a goat that could read? (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
27. 27.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away. (b) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
28. 28.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 a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
29. 29.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
30. 30.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) Buzz! A huge bee landed on my nose.
31. 31.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark.
32. 32.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa.
33. 33.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
34. 34.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face.
35. 35.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
36. 36.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
37. 37.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
38. 38.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
39. 39.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
40. 40.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking

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