SUMMARY
The importance of language in literary discourse can never be over-emphasized. Halliday and Matthiessen (2014), in broad terms, contend that language is used to carry out interpersonal functions in speech and writing. Hence, literary writers use language creatively to communicate their intended messages to their readers. This study, therefore, explores the lexico-grammatical assessment of AdaOkere Agbasimalo’s The Forest Dames. The study aimed at identifying the prevalent linguistic tools deployed in the novel by the author, as a style index, for plot and theme developments. Also, to discuss logically how these tools contribute to project meanings in the novel. The study adopts Leech and Short’s checklist of linguistic and stylistic categories as its analytical tool. Data were extracted randomly from the novel and analyzed qualitatively at levels of lexis and structure using the checklist. The findings revealed that the authors deployed more of the major parts of speech; military registers; code mixing and switching and pidginized word/expressions to express the theme of hostility and futility of war. Also, at the grammatical level, sentences according to structure and function; inverted and elliptical sentences; adverbial and adjectival clauses were also used to expresses various themes and to develop the plots of the novel logically. It was concluded that Agbasimalo is a writer who used English creatively to express the consequences of Nigerian civil war on women and children. Conversely, it was suggested that scholars should conduct further studies on other aspects not covered in this research.