Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 92 · 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) Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal.
2. 2.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) My story is about a day at school. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) Buzz! A huge bee landed on my nose.
3. 3.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Something is moving in the cupboard,” said Zoya. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
4. 4.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   What would you do if your shadow ran away? (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
5. 5.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   What if your parrot told everyone your secrets? (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
6. 6.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) Whoosh! The wind snatched my hat away.
7. 7.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
8. 8.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
9. 9.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) What would you do if your shadow ran away?
10. 10.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) My story is about a day at school.
11. 11.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (b) “I can fly!” said the little elephant. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
12. 12.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) Achoo! The giant sneezed and the trees shook. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
13. 13.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
14. 14.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “Never feed a dragon after dark,” said Grandpa. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
15. 15.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill. (b) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (c) Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car?
16. 16.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (c) Have you ever woken up as tiny as an ant?
17. 17.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (b) “Somebody has eaten my homework!” wailed Kabir. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
18. 18.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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
19. 19.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Clang! The temple bell rang by itself at midnight. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic.
20. 20.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha.
21. 21.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “I can fly!” said the little elephant. (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?
    “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
23. 23.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) There was a girl. She had a bag. (c) Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic.
24. 24.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (b) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
25. 25.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Who would steal a whole bus? (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
26. 26.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
27. 27.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) A boy went to school. Then he came home. (b) “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (c) My story is about a day at school.
28. 28.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (c) One day I woke up and had my breakfast.
29. 29.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face. (a) it starts with a question (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
30. 30.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Have you ever met a goat that could read? (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
31. 31.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) In this story I will write about a tree. (b) Can a pumpkin really grow as big as a car? (c) Boom! The sky lit up with fireworks.
32. 32.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
33. 33.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
34. 34.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) What was hiding inside Grandma’s locked trunk? (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
35. 35.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) “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha.
36. 36.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) Have you ever met a goat that could read? (c) This is my story. I hope you like it.
37. 37.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is a story about a boy called Ravi. (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark.
38. 38.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house. (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
39. 39.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav. (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?
    Who left giant footprints on our roof? (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question

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