Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 70 · 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) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face.
2. 2.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) Did you know our school has a secret door?
3. 3.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond. (c) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
4. 4.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   “I can fly!” said the little elephant. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
5. 5.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman. (c) How do you catch a cloud in a jar?
6. 6.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (c) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa.
7. 7.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman.
8. 8.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 a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
9. 9.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman.
10. 10.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) What if your parrot told everyone your secrets?
11. 11.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant?
12. 12.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
13. 13.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
14. 14.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) “I can fly!” said the little elephant. (c) My story is about a day at school.
15. 15.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot. (b) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
16. 16.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya. (b) Where do lost socks really go? (c) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
17. 17.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
18. 18.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (b) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
19. 19.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
20. 20.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car? (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
21. 21.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
22. 22.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
23. 23.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (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) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window.
25. 25.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
26. 26.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa.
27. 27.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant? (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
28. 28.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
29. 29.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) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
30. 30.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
31. 31.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
32. 32.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Why did the cat bring home a fish every day? (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
33. 33.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
34. 34.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (c) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
35. 35.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
36. 36.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav. (c) My story is about a day at school.
37. 37.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
38. 38.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Clang! The temple bell rang by itself at midnight. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
39. 39.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) In this story I will write about a tree. (b) Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot. (c) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa.
40. 40.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house. (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) There was a house. It had a door.

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