Story Starters Worksheet

Creative writing lesson 21: Story starters that hook the reader · Set 96 · 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) “Don’t open that box!” shouted Grandpa. (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) A boy went to school. Then he came home.
2. 2.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
3. 3.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (b) “I can fly!” said the little elephant. (c) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
4. 4.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
5. 5.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Why was the old well glowing at midnight? (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) There was a house. It had a door.
6. 6.Why does this opening hook the reader?
   Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
7. 7.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
8. 8.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Nobody must know about this,” said the old sailor. (b) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (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) Who would steal a whole bus?
10. 10.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond.
11. 11.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Splash! Kabir fell straight into the pond. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) Have you ever met a goat that could read?
12. 12.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
13. 13.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera.
14. 14.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Bang! Something heavy fell in the attic. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
15. 15.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Pop! The balloon burst in Dad’s face. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
16. 16.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “This is not an ordinary box,” whispered Nani. (b) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (c) In this story I will write about a tree.
17. 17.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) What was hiding inside Grandma’s locked trunk? (b) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
18. 18.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a house. It had a door. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) Why did the cat bring home a fish every day?
19. 19.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) There was a girl. She had a bag. (b) This is my story. I hope you like it. (c) Crunch! Someone was eating in the dark.
20. 20.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Buzz! A huge bee landed on my nose. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with a sound word
21. 21.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (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?
    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
23. 23.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    Honk! A runaway cart of melons rolled downhill. (a) it starts with someone speaking (b) it starts with a sound word (c) it starts with a question
24. 24.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) How do you catch a cloud in a jar? (b) Once there was a dog. It was a dog. (c) Ring, ring! The phone woke the whole house.
25. 25.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) “The trophy is gone!” gasped the principal. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
26. 26.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) What was hiding inside Grandma’s locked trunk? (b) I am going to tell you about my holiday. (c) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
27. 27.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (b) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (c) This is a story about a boy called Ravi.
28. 28.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet. (b) It was a normal day and nothing happened. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
29. 29.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
30. 30.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Have you ever met a goat that could read? (b) This story is about a cat and a mouse. (c) Thud! A coconut dropped right at my feet.
31. 31.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “I found a map under my bed!” said Isha. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with someone speaking (c) it starts with a question
32. 32.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) Who left giant footprints on our roof? (b) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav. (c) I am going to tell you about my holiday.
33. 33.Why does this opening hook the reader?
    “Quick, the train is leaving!” yelled Meera. (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?
    “There’s a monkey in the kitchen!” cried Mum. (a) it starts with a sound word (b) it starts with a question (c) it starts with someone speaking
35. 35.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) Crash! The cricket ball smashed the window. (b) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (c) Once there was a dog. It was a dog.
36. 36.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 someone speaking (c) it starts with a sound word
37. 37.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
38. 38.Which opening is dull and needs a better hook? (a) “Run, the bees are coming!” shouted Aarav. (b) My story is about a day at school. (c) Why was the old well glowing at midnight?
39. 39.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) This is my story. I hope you like it. (b) “Today, everything will go wrong,” said Dev. (c) It was a normal day and nothing happened.
40. 40.Which opening hooks the reader most? (a) One day I woke up and had my breakfast. (b) There was a house. It had a door. (c) Hiss! A snake slid out of the water pot.

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