CASA — A Constructionist Approach to Syntactic Analysis

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It-Cleft Construction

Name

It-Cleft Construction

Semantic function of cxn

Highlight focused / new information to hearer.

Usage conditions

High falling intonation.

Slots

Semantic role of slots

FOCUS

Syntactic function

Subj

OBJ/ATTR

dependent clause

Syntactic form

NP
AdvP
etc.

that
who
whom
whose
where
when

REST-CLAUSE

Example

It's you that I wanted in my life._{TV-1986-Dynast}
It was then that Afrobeat was born._{Movie-2014-US/CAFindinfFela}
Catherine, it was because I loved you that I disappeared that night._{Movie-1948-US/CAAWomen'sVengeance1948}
I suppose it was you who arranged that meeting..._{TV-1985-Dynasty}
It's here where she has done groundbreaking neuroimaging research … ._{COCA-2014-SPOK}