The keyword phrase "Patriot Day today" functions grammatically as a noun phrase. In this construction, the core element is the proper noun "Patriot Day," which is modified by the term "today" to specify a particular instance of the observance.
A detailed analysis of its components reveals that "Patriot Day" is a compound proper noun identifying a specific, named event (the annual U.S. observance on September 11). The word "today" can function as either a noun or an adverb. In this context, it acts as a postpositive modifier, an adverbial noun that specifies the temporal setting of the proper noun. The entire phrase, therefore, refers to a single, specific concept: the occurrence of Patriot Day on the present date.
Understanding this grammatical role is crucial for article construction. As a noun phrase, the term can serve as the subject of a sentence (e.g., "Patriot Day today commemorates the victims..."), the object of a verb, or the object of a preposition. This classification dictates its syntactic integration, ensuring the phrase is treated as the central topic or entity being discussed, rather than as a descriptive or action-based term.
