Cataphora

In linguistics, cataphora occurs when an expression corefers with a latter expression in the discourse. Often cataphora is used for rhetorical effect, e.g. "He is the biggest slob I know. He is really stupid. He is so cruel. He's my boyfriend Steve". Sometimes it is used in subordinate clauses within a sentence, e.g. "If you want some, here's some parmesan cheese." Often it is used to provide the description of someone before their name, e.g. "A little girl, Jessica, was playing on the swings." Contrast anaphora, where an expression corefers with a prior expression.