CBSE Class 3 English NCERT Solutions Chapter 19

NCERT Solutions PDF Class 3 PDF

CBSE Class 3 English, Chapter 19, 'Don't Tell' NCERT Solutions offer a deep dive into a child's feelings of being misunderstood and their desire for more freedom. The solutions explore the poem's central themes, helping students understand who 'they' might be and the secret the young speaker keeps. Beyond the poem's narrative, these solutions also focus on building essential language skills. Students will practice forming new words from given letters and learn the full forms of contractions. They will also get a chance to create their own sentences using these contractions, enhancing their ability to express themselves. This comprehensive approach ensures young learners not only understand the poem but also strengthen their overall English proficiency, making it a valuable tool for both learning and revision.

Quick info

BoardCBSE
ClassClass 3
SubjectEnglish
Session2026
LanguageEnglish
TypeNCERT Solutions
ChapterChapter 19

Chapter summary

Chapter 19 of the CBSE Class 3 English NCERT Solutions focuses on the poem 'Don't Tell'. It helps students understand the child's perspective on rules and independence. The solutions cover comprehension questions about the poem's characters and themes, alongside exercises on word formation and contractions. This chapter aims to enhance reading comprehension and basic grammar skills for young learners.

Learning outcomes

  • Understand the perspective of a child in the poem 'Don't Tell'.
  • Identify the meaning of 'they' and 'them' in the context of the poem.
  • Explain the secret the speaker is hiding.
  • List activities children wish to do when grown up.
  • Form new words from given letters.
  • Write the full forms of common contractions.
  • Construct sentences using various contractions.

Topics covered

Paper topics

  • Poem Comprehension
  • Character Analysis
  • Child Psychology
  • Word Formation
  • Contractions
  • Sentence Construction
  • Vocabulary Building
  • Reading Skills

Important topics

  • Understanding the poem 'Don't Tell'
  • Identifying 'they' and 'them'
  • The speaker's secret
  • Full forms of contractions
  • Making sentences with contractions

PDF preview

Read page by page below. PDF is streamed from the official NCERT website — no download button on this page.

Loading document …
Page of
Loading page …

Questions and Solutions

Question 1

How old is the speaker?
Solution: The speaker in the poem is presented as a young child. Based on the context and the types of restrictions mentioned, it can be inferred that the speaker is likely around 8 to 10 years old, old enough to understand rules but young enough to desire more freedom.

Question 2

Who are 'they' and 'them' in the poem?
Solution: In the poem 'Don't Tell', the words 'they' and 'them' refer to the child's parents or guardians. These are the individuals who set the rules and limits that the speaker feels are restrictive.

Question 3

What is the secret the speaker is hiding?
Solution: The secret that the speaker is hiding is an internal feeling or identity: they feel like a giant on the inside. This contrasts with how they might be perceived or treated by others, suggesting a hidden sense of power or size within themselves.

Question 4

Think of three things that 'they' won't let you do.
Solution: Based on the poem and common childhood experiences, here are three things 'they' (parents/guardians) might not let a child do:
  1. They don't let me cook chappati in the kitchen without supervision.
  2. They don't let me go all alone to the market to buy things.
  3. They don't let me stay out late playing after it gets dark.

Question 5

What are the things you'd like to do when you are grown up that you just can't do now?
Solution: When I grow up, I would like to do many things that I cannot do right now. Some of these include:
  1. I would like to go to the market independently and buy dresses for myself.
  2. I would like to drive a car of my own and travel wherever I wish.
  3. I would like to cook meals all alone for my family.

Question 6

Using the letters of the given word, make three words.
Solution: This question asks to form new words using the letters from a given word (which seems to be missing in the source, but example words are provided). Based on the examples given, here are three words that can be formed:

From 'Black': Back, Lack, Cab

From 'Other': Hot, Her, Toe

From 'Sand': And, Sad, As

From 'Table': Able, Bat, Eat

From 'Copter': Top, Pot, Cope

From 'Board': Board, Road, Bad

From 'Month': Month, Moth, Ton

From 'Get': Get, Egg, Te

From 'And': And, Dan, Ad

From 'Chopper': Chop, Hop, Cop

From 'Back': Back, Cab, Kab

From 'Her': Her, He, Eh

From 'Able': Able, Bale, Lab

From 'Hand': Hand, And, Had

From 'Pilot': Pilot, Lip, Pot

Question 7

Look at these words in the poem. Don't, I'm, I'll. Here are their full forms: Don't - Do not, I'm – I am, I'll – I will. Now write the full form of the following words and make sentences using the following: Can't, It's, Isn't, What's, That's, He's, She's, You're, We're.
Solution: This question focuses on understanding and using contractions, which are shortened forms of words. Here are the full forms and sentences as requested:
  1. Full forms of contractions:
    • Can't – Cannot
    • It's – It is
    • Isn't – Is not
    • What's – What is
    • That's – That is
  2. Sentences using contractions:
    • He's a boy who has won the trophy. (He's = He is)
    • She's the girl whom I met in the park. (She's = She is)
    • You're going to get a surprise today. (You're = You are)
    • We're going to have a party in our house tomorrow. (We're = We are)

Common mistakes

  • Misinterpreting the identity of 'they' and 'them'.
  • Difficulty in forming new words from given letters.
  • Confusing the full forms of contractions.
  • Struggling to create grammatically correct sentences with contractions.

Revision tips

  • Read the poem 'Don't Tell' aloud to understand its rhythm and tone.
  • Discuss the speaker's feelings and desires with a friend or parent.
  • Practice forming new words from different sets of letters.
  • Review the full forms of contractions and try to use them in your own sentences.
  • Try to answer the questions without looking at the solutions first.

Practice MCQs

Q1. What is the approximate age of the speaker in the poem?

Q2. Who are referred to as 'they' and 'them' in the poem?

Q3. What is the secret the speaker is hiding?

Q4. Which of these is NOT mentioned as something 'they' won't let the speaker do?

Q5. Which word is a contraction for 'I will'?

Frequently asked questions

What is the main theme of Chapter 19, 'Don't Tell'?

The main theme of Chapter 19, 'Don't Tell', revolves around a child's perspective on rules, independence, and the feeling of having a secret inner world that adults may not understand.

Who are 'they' in the poem 'Don't Tell'?

In the poem 'Don't Tell', 'they' and 'them' refer to the child's parents or guardians who impose rules and restrictions on the speaker.

How do these NCERT Solutions help Class 3 students?

These solutions provide clear, rewritten answers to all questions in Chapter 19, helping Class 3 students understand the poem better, practice language skills like word formation and contractions, and prepare for their exams.

What language skills are covered in this chapter's solutions?

This chapter's solutions cover comprehension of the poem, the ability to form new words from given letters, and understanding and using contractions like 'can't', 'it's', 'he's', etc., in sentences.

What is the speaker's secret in the poem?

The speaker's secret is that they feel like a giant on the inside, a feeling they keep hidden from others.

Content reviewed by the NCERT Help team. Editorial Team and update policy

NCERT Solutions PDF PDF on NCERT Help. URL unchanged for search indexing.