The keyword term "September 11 incident" functions grammatically as a noun phrase. In this construction, the main part of speech is the noun "incident," which serves as the head of the phrase. The proper noun "September 11" acts as a modifier.
In a detailed analysis, "incident" is a common noun that refers to an event or occurrence. The term "September 11" is a proper noun specifying a date. When placed before "incident," it functions as a noun adjunct or adjectival modifier, specifying which particular event is being referenced. This is a common English construction where a noun modifies another noun (e.g., "kitchen table," "computer screen"). The entire three-word phrase operates as a single unit to name a specific, singular concept: the terrorist attacks that occurred on that date.
Recognizing the term as a noun phrase is crucial for its application in writing. As a noun phrase, it can act as the subject of a sentence (e.g., "The September 11 incident led to new security protocols."), the object of a verb (e.g., "Analysts studied the September 11 incident."), or the object of a preposition (e.g., "This article focuses on the September 11 incident."). This grammatical function allows it to be the central topic around which clear, coherent, and grammatically correct sentences are constructed, reinforcing its role as the article's main point.
