Three linguistic features used in spontaneous conversation to express emotional involvement (this, never, and all) are analyzed. "All" and "never" have referential functions; "this" has both referential and deictic functions. The focus of this analysis is on the way that speakers use these features to express emotional involvement and to orient the discussion toward the addressee by directly involving him in what is being said. It is also suggested that these three features can be markers of foregrounding in discourse, highlighting, or giving discourse prominence to that part of the utterance with which they enter into construction. It is concluded that while a sentence-based grammar can not account for the way in which these items are used in everyday discourse, when seen in the broader context, as part of a pattern of addressee-oriented features, their function may be more properly appreciated. (MSE)