The term "patriots day credits" functions as a noun phrase. In this construction, the head word, which determines the fundamental part of speech, is "credits" (a noun). The proper noun "Patriots Day" acts as a noun adjunct, modifying "credits" by specifying which particular list of acknowledgements is being referenced.
Grammatically, a noun adjunct is a noun that modifies another noun, functioning like an adjective. Here, "Patriots Day" is the title of a specific film, and it narrows the scope of the general noun "credits" to the specific set of credits associated with that film. This structure is common in English for creating specific, compound terms. The phrase refers to the sequences, typically at the beginning (opening titles) and end (end credits) of the film, that list the cast, crew, production staff, and other contributors.
Understanding this term as a noun phrase is essential for its correct syntactical use. It can serve as the subject of a sentence (e.g., "The Patriots Day credits feature real-life footage."), the object of a verb (e.g., "The analysis examines the Patriots Day credits."), or the object of a preposition. Identifying it as a noun-based unit allows it to be treated as a single, specific entity for discussion and analysis within an article.
