One could start with 'In a world where the sun never rose, a sense of dread hung in the air like a thick fog.'
A good sentence starter might be 'The city, once a symbol of hope, now lay in ruins, its people living in constant fear.' This immediately sets a dystopian tone by showing the contrast between the past and present of a place. It gives the reader an idea that something bad has happened to what was once a positive place. It also hints at the emotions of the people, which is fear, a common element in dystopian stories.
Well, you can start by choosing a sentence starter that grabs attention, like 'The sky, once blue, was now a perpetual shade of gray, mirroring the desolation on the ground.' Then build on it. Describe how the environment affects the characters.
One classic sentence starter could be 'In the dead of night, a strange noise echoed through the empty house.' It immediately sets a spooky mood as the 'dead of night' implies a time when most people are asleep and vulnerable, and a strange noise in an empty house is often associated with something sinister.
One good sentence starter could be 'In the midst of chaos and gunfire, the young soldier...'. This immediately sets the scene of a war situation.
Well, 'Long ago, in a different world...' is a great sentence starter for a story. It makes the reader think about a time and place that's not the present. 'Suddenly, everything changed...' is also good as it grabs the reader's attention right away, making them wonder what changed. 'There was a small town where...' is useful for setting the scene in a more specific location.
A great starting sentence for a story might be 'The day began like any other, but little did I know...'. It creates a sense of normalcy at first and then hints at something unexpected to come. This type of start draws the reader in as they want to find out what that 'little did I know' part is all about.
Some good sentence starters could be 'In the shadowy recesses of the old mansion, a strange silence prevailed...' or 'The howling wind whipped through the desolate graveyard as...' Another one could be 'Amidst the thick fog that cloaked the ancient forest, a figure emerged...'
In a world far removed from our own, where magic pulsed through every living thing...
Often, 'In the distant corner of the world...' works well. It creates a sense of adventure and makes the reader curious about the location.
Once upon a time is a great 2nd grade sentence starter for a story. It immediately sets a story - like mood.
Try 'In a far - away land...'. It takes the kids to a different place in their imagination. They will be excited to know what is in that far - away land. It could be a land full of talking animals or magical castles.