Abstract 1. Introduction 2. Reconsidering the equi analysis 2.1. Meaning difference between tough and non-tough constructions 2.2. Impossibility of expletive tough subjects 2.3. Null complement analphora 2.4. The topichood of tough subjects 3. Evidence for the non-semantic selection for the tough subject 3.1. Selectional restriction 3.2. De re and dicto reading 3.3. Nominalization 4. About connectivity 5. A constructional approach to English tough constructions 6. Further issues References