Abstract Tanya Reinhart's “The Theta System” is mainly meant to explain the linking behaviour and the particular binding properties of experiencing verbs. Following Pesetsky (1995), Reinhart argues that verbs like worry possess three arguments: a cause, an experiencer and a subject matter role. Backwards bound anaphors are enabled only if it is the subject matter which is realized externally – it originates VP-internally and its trace is c-commanded by the experiencer: (1) Hisi health worries every patienti. (Reinhart's example (42a)) If the subject is construed as the cause, it merges directly externally, and the c-command requirement is not met. Bound anaphors are not licensed in this case: (2) ??Hisi doctor worried every patienti. (Reinhart's example (65b))