Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 48 · 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 hooks the reader most? (a) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman.
2. 2.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (b) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (c) My story is about a day at school.
3. 3.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
4. 4.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
5. 5.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
6. 6.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot.
7. 7.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
8. 8.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Who left giant footprints on our roof? (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) “I can fly!” said the little elephant.
9. 9.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa. (c) Have you ever met a goat that could read?
10. 10.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
11. 11.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Have you ever heard a tree laugh? (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
12. 12.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (c) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum.
13. 13.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
14. 14.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
15. 15.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond.
16. 16.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
17. 17.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill.
18. 18.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) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
19. 19.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
20. 20.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) Have you ever met a goat that could read?
21. 21.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “I can fly!” said the little elephant. (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) Buzz! A huge bee landed on my nose.
22. 22.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
23. 23.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 a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
24. 24.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev.
25. 25.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Clang! The temple bell rang by itself at midnight. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
26. 26.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) Clang! The temple bell rang by itself at midnight. (c) “I can fly!” said the little elephant.
27. 27.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya.
28. 28.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car?
29. 29.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
30. 30.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
31. 31.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Where do lost socks really go? (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
32. 32.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark. (b) Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
33. 33.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Who would steal a whole bus? (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) What was hiding inside Grandma’s locked trunk? (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
35. 35.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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
36. 36.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
37. 37.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) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav.
38. 38.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant? (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa.
39. 39.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook. (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?
    “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking

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