# fronting

/ˈfɹəntɪŋ/ (US) · /fɹˈʌntɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/fronting
Updated: 2026-05-11

## Definition

moving a word or phrase to the very beginning of a sentence to give it more focus. You do this to emphasize a specific part of your message.

For teachers: the movement of a constituent to the sentence-initial position to provide thematic emphasis or contrast. Often involves placing an object or adverbial before the subject and verb.

## Examples

- The teacher explained that fronting is a common way to highlight the setting of a story.
- While standard English follows a subject-verb-object order, fronting allows a writer to shift the focus onto the complement, thereby creating a more dramatic or literary effect.

## Pitfalls

- Not "Fronting is when you are lying about who you are." but "Fronting is the act of moving a word to the start of a sentence." — In a linguistics context, 'fronting' refers to word order, not the slang meaning of 'pretending' or 'acting tough'.

## Usage notes

- Commonly used in descriptive writing and formal oratory to establish a specific theme or contrast.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.