Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 75 · 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?
   “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
2. 2.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
3. 3.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) Did you know our school has a secret door?
4. 4.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
5. 5.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani.
6. 6.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Who would steal a whole bus? (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet.
7. 7.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house. (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
8. 8.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) In this story I will write about a tree. (b) Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face. (c) Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet.
9. 9.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
10. 10.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav. (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
11. 11.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
12. 12.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face.
13. 13.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) Did you know our school has a secret door? (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
14. 14.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car? (b) Why did the cat bring home a fish every day? (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
15. 15.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
16. 16.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car? (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
17. 17.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Clang! The temple bell rang by itself at midnight. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
18. 18.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) Have you ever met a goat that could read?
19. 19.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Who left giant footprints on our roof? (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
20. 20.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Where do lost socks really go? (b) Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
21. 21.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
22. 22.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond.
23. 23.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Did you know our school has a secret door? (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) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
25. 25.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) My story is about a day at school.
26. 26.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) In this story I will write about a tree. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) Who would steal a whole bus?
27. 27.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) Have you ever heard a tree laugh? (c) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum.
28. 28.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away. (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
29. 29.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
30. 30.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) Have you ever met a goat that could read? (c) There was a house. It had a door.
31. 31.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook. (b) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
32. 32.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car?
33. 33.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
34. 34.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet.
35. 35.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
36. 36.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) Where do lost socks really go? (c) Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet.
37. 37.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (b) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
38. 38.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Where do lost socks really go? (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
39. 39.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum.
40. 40.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) In this story I will write about a tree. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) “I can fly!” said the little elephant.

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