Beginning with a Given First Line

Choose one of the following lines (all adapted from published works) to begin your own piece of writing.

-- I used to dream about mother, and it was always the same dream.

--He was only pretty if you loved him.

--She knows he has read the letter.

--Mother raised us on white lies.

--Our holiday was going badly.

-- The phone was ringing.

-- I met him on the stairs.

-- Where were you last night?

--I can't believe you said that.

-- I only have one photograph of him left.

Beginning with one of these lines is designed to help students to begin in the middle of the action, hopefully hooking the reader. They are also designed to spur memories or create new associations and get students out of the casual conversational sort of writing where most of them begin.