The keyword phrase "what day was patriots day this year" functions grammatically as a nominal clause. A nominal clause is a type of dependent clause that performs the role of a noun or noun phrase. In this context, the entire phrase acts as a single conceptual unit that names the specific subject of inquiry. It does not describe another element (like an adjective) or express an action (like a verb), but rather identifies the idea or piece of information that the article will address.
A grammatical breakdown of the phrase shows its internal structure: "what" is an interrogative determiner, "day" is a noun, "was" is a linking verb, "Patriots' Day" is a proper noun (the subject), and "this year" is an adverbial phrase of time. While composed of these individual parts of speech, they combine to form a complete interrogative clause. When this clause is used as a keyword, it is treated as the name of a query. Its function is to stand in for the answer being sought, much like a noun stands in for a specific entity.
Understanding this keyword as a noun-like entity is crucial for content creation. The article's primary purpose is to provide the information that this nominal clause represents. The query essentially serves as the subject, and the article's content provides the predicate. The direct answer is that Patriots' Day is officially observed on the third Monday of April in Massachusetts and Maine. For the current year, 2024, this date was Monday, April 15th.
