standard clause patterns, please help

[tigger]

Hi just a quick question do you know what a standard clause pattern. Also what would make it typical or atypical? Thanks i need help urgently :)

[Casiopea]

The standard clause pattern for English: subject + verb (+ object or adverbial). Atypical is when that pattern changes:

A wholly atypical sentence reads this way:

''With this answer, Halevy's presence (and his apparent readiness to say anything at all, as if factual matters were a thing of barter, or of haggling in a souk) were not so disorienting, Time's whole position fell, perhaps not for the first time, to smithereens.''

The amount of time one spends trying to make sense of this ...

Source: BOOKS OF THE TIMES - New York Times

Does that help?