Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 41 · 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?
   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
2. 2.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook. (b) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya. (c) My story is about a day at school.
3. 3.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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
4. 4.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 sound word (c) it starts with a question
5. 5.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
6. 6.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
7. 7.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) Have you ever met a goat that could read?
8. 8.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha.
9. 9.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill.
10. 10.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant? (b) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
11. 11.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Who left giant footprints on our roof? (b) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
12. 12.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
13. 13.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill. (c) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa.
14. 14.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) Clang! The temple bell rang by itself at midnight.
15. 15.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) Buzz! A huge bee landed on my nose. (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
16. 16.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Have you ever met a goat that could read? (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
17. 17.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (b) Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook. (c) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
18. 18.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) Buzz! A huge bee landed on my nose. (c) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks.
19. 19.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) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor.
20. 20.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
21. 21.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car? (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
22. 22.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet.
23. 23.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) Have you ever heard a tree laugh?
24. 24.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
25. 25.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) What was hiding inside Grandma’s locked trunk?
26. 26.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
27. 27.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
28. 28.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
29. 29.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) Who left giant footprints on our roof?
30. 30.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) In this story I will write about a tree. (b) Buzz! A huge bee landed on my nose. (c) Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot.
31. 31.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic.
32. 32.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    What would you do if your shadow ran away? (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
33. 33.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
34. 34.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Where do lost socks really go? (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
35. 35.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
36. 36.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
37. 37.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 a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
38. 38.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    What if your parrot told everyone your secrets? (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
39. 39.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Where do lost socks really go? (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
40. 40.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic.

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