Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 56 · 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) Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
2. 2.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
3. 3.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman.
4. 4.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) My story is about a day at school.
5. 5.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
6. 6.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
7. 7.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car? (b) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (c) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
8. 8.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) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir.
9. 9.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) What if your parrot told everyone your secrets? (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away.
10. 10.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
11. 11.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) What would you do if your shadow ran away? (b) Who would steal a whole bus? (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
12. 12.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
13. 13.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Have you ever met a goat that could read? (b) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
14. 14.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    What would you do if your shadow ran away? (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
15. 15.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
16. 16.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) What was hiding inside Grandma’s locked trunk?
17. 17.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 sound word (c) it starts with a question
18. 18.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Who would steal a whole bus? (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
19. 19.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) Did you know our school has a secret door?
20. 20.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
21. 21.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav. (b) Why did the cat bring home a fish every day? (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
22. 22.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (b) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill. (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
23. 23.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
24. 24.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
25. 25.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
26. 26.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill.
27. 27.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
28. 28.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) My story is about a day at school.
29. 29.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house. (b) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (c) My story is about a day at school.
30. 30.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
31. 31.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa.
32. 32.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) What would you do if your shadow ran away? (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
33. 33.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
34. 34.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (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?
    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
36. 36.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Clang! The temple bell rang by itself at midnight. (b) What was hiding inside Grandma’s locked trunk? (c) There was a house. It had a door.
37. 37.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa.
38. 38.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal. (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
39. 39.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark. (b) Who left giant footprints on our roof? (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
40. 40.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant?

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