a construction that performs the function of predication, including the predicate (which may be a complex predicate) and the referring phrases and other roles dependent on the predication. Example: The birds were singing is an instance of a clausal construction. This is the prototypical function of clauses; there are also nonpredicational clauses that perform different information packaging functions. The prototypical predicational clause is a verbal clause. (Sections 1.3, 2.2.2, 6.1.1)
a clause construction that consists of the predicate and the argument phrases that are dependent on that predicate. Example: the clause The engineers placed sandbags on the levee is an instance of an English argument structure construction made up of the predicate (placed) and the combination of three argument phrases, the Subject (the engineers) plus the Object (sandbags) plus the Oblique (on the levee). The function of the argument structure construction is its semantics -- the participant roles that the referents of the argument phrases are playing in the event -- combined with its information packaging -- the relative salience implied by the Subject -- Object -- Oblique ranking of argument phrases. (Sections 2.2.4, 6.1.1)