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Year 10 - English

Understanding ideas of love and obsession in Kay's 'Dusting the Phone'

Poetry anthology (Assessment from summer 2027)

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupis explore 11 of the 15 poems from the Eduqas poetry anthology. Pupils complete two lessons about each poem: one on understanding and one on analysis. Pupils study the poems in a thematically linked order so they can complete comparative and thematic lessons during the unit.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explain how Kay presents ideas of love and obsession in 'Dusting the Phone'.

Key Notes

  • Kay's poem traces the thoughts and feelings of someone waiting for a call from a lover.
  • We might suggest that the poem captures the uncertainty and obsessive nature of love.
  • Arguably, it is this uncertainty of love that makes the speaker feel trapped and frightened rather than happy.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • deduce: to reach an answer or a decision by thinking carefully about the known facts
  • illicit: something that society disapproves of; something not permitted
  • obsessive: thinking about something or someone, or doing something, too much or all the time
  • all-consuming: completely filling one's mind and attention

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Love poems always contain ideas of warmth and happiness.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.

Kay's poem traces the thoughts and feelings of someone waiting for a call from a lover. We might suggest that the poem captures the uncertainty and obsessive nature of love.

2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'deduce'

to reach an answer or a decision by thinking carefully about the known facts.

3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.

Mistake: Love poems always contain ideas of warmth and happiness. Correction: Love is not always warm or happy - love poems often reflect the uncertainty, worry, and pain that love can bring people.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 10 English guide library.