More on (the Lack of) Reconstruction in English <i>Tough</i>-Constructions

This squib presents three new arguments that the matrix subject in English <i>tough</i>-constructions cannot reconstruct into the embedded gap. The first two arguments reexamine data in the literature purported to show such reconstruction. Upon closer scrutiny, we argue that these data in fact involve short reconstruction below a modal or generic operator in the matrix clause, and not genuine long reconstruction into the embedded gap. The third argument is that property positions, which independently require reconstruction, are unable to host <i>tough</i>-gaps. This ban on long reconstruction in English <i>tough</i>-constructions follows without further ado on a base-generation analysis.