PP It-Cleft: TItVpnx1s2

Description:

This tree family is selected by be as the main verb and it as the subject. Together these two items serve as a multi-component anchor for the tree family. This tree family is used for it-clefts in which the clefted element is a PP and there are no gaps in the clause which follows the PP. The PP is interpreted as an adjunct of the following clause. See Chapter 12 for additional discussion.

Examples:

it be
it was at Kent State that the police shot all those students .

Declarative tree:

See Figure 6.19.

{Declarative PP It-Cleft Tree: $\alpha$ItVnx1s2

 

Other available trees:

inverted question, wh-moved prepositional phrase with be inverted, wh-moved prepositional phrase with be not inverted, adjunct (gap-less) relative clause with comp/with PP pied-piping.