This article summarizes studies identifying linguistic means of implementing manipulative influence in English fiction. The article discusses various scientific views on the essence and main characteristics of manipulation, the levels of analysis of linguistic means of manipulation, the methods of speech influence that are used in linguistic manipulation, and the types of manipulation. The authors consider linguostylistic means of manipulative influence. The article presents the results of an empirical study of linguistic means of manipulative influence at the lexical and syntactical levels as exemplified by the classic plays by B. Shaw. It is concluded that the above-mentioned verbal means are pragmatically conditioned and have a high manipulative potential. Having emotive and associative semantics, they attract the attention of the addressee, create positive imagery, and stimulate emotional-associative reactions.