thematic roles

Thematic roles are labels that describe the function of different words in a sentence, showing how they relate to the main action or verb. For example, in "The teacher teaches students," the teacher is the "agent" (the doer), while students are the "patient" (the receiver of the action). Other roles include "experiencer" (someone who perceives or feels), "instrument" (what is used to do something), and "location" (where it happens). These roles help us understand the relationships and roles words play in conveying meaning within a sentence.