Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 73 · 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 is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (b) What was hiding inside Grandma’s locked trunk? (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
2. 2.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant?
3. 3.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) “I can fly!” said the little elephant.
4. 4.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “I can fly!” said the little elephant. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away.
5. 5.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) In this story I will write about a tree. (b) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (c) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal.
6. 6.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away.
7. 7.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
8. 8.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) Where do lost socks really go? (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
9. 9.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet.
10. 10.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
11. 11.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Why did the cat bring home a fish every day? (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark.
12. 12.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Where do lost socks really go? (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (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 sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
14. 14.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (c) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev.
15. 15.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Who left giant footprints on our roof? (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
16. 16.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot. (b) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
17. 17.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook. (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev.
18. 18.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) In this story I will write about a tree. (b) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav. (c) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
19. 19.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) Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond.
20. 20.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
21. 21.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot.
22. 22.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
23. 23.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) Buzz! A huge bee landed on my nose.
24. 24.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
25. 25.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (b) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal. (c) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
26. 26.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 a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
27. 27.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
28. 28.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
29. 29.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “I can fly!” said the little elephant. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic.
30. 30.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
31. 31.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
32. 32.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
33. 33.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 a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
34. 34.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Have you ever heard a tree laugh? (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
35. 35.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman. (c) Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window.
36. 36.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 question (c) it starts with a sound word
37. 37.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
38. 38.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) Did you know our school has a secret door? (c) My story is about a day at school.
39. 39.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) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
40. 40.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

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