Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 79 · 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) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum.
2. 2.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away. (c) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal.
3. 3.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill. (c) Why did the cat bring home a fish every day?
4. 4.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Did you know our school has a secret door? (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
5. 5.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
6. 6.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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
7. 7.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
8. 8.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Who would steal a whole bus? (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
9. 9.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet. (c) What if your parrot told everyone your secrets?
10. 10.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) Who left giant footprints on our roof?
11. 11.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “I can fly!” said the little elephant. (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
12. 12.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Where do lost socks really go? (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
13. 13.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Who left giant footprints on our roof? (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
14. 14.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark. (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
15. 15.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
16. 16.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks.
17. 17.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) Clang! The temple bell rang by itself at midnight. (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
18. 18.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera.
19. 19.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet.
20. 20.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) What if your parrot told everyone your secrets? (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) There was a girl. She had a bag.
21. 21.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
22. 22.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya. (b) In this story I will write about a tree. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
23. 23.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Who left giant footprints on our roof? (b) “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (c) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
24. 24.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car? (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
25. 25.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant? (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking
26. 26.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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
27. 27.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
28. 28.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 question (c) it starts with a sound word
29. 29.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) “Hold on tight!” yelled the boatman. (c) “I can fly!” said the little elephant.
30. 30.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks. (c) Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot.
31. 31.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window. (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
32. 32.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) This story is about a cat and a mouse.
33. 33.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic.
34. 34.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (b) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (c) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev.
35. 35.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
36. 36.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
37. 37.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa. (b) Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant? (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
38. 38.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
39. 39.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Buzz! A huge bee landed on my nose. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
40. 40.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with someone speaking

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