The complex sentence

To separate subordinate clauses from the principal clause the following rules on the use of stops are observed.

§ 13. Subject clauses as a rule are not separated from the principal clause by any stop.

What he learned of farming in that week might have been balanced on the point of a penknife and puffed off. (Galsworthy)

However, a comma is found if the subject clause is of some length and if a subordinate clause is attached to it.

What had saved him from becoming a cross between a lap dog and a little prig, had been his father’s adoration of his mother.

(Galsworthy)

§ 14. Predicative clauses as a rule are not separated from the principal clause by any stop. A comma is often used when they are joined asyndetically.

Ruth’s point of view was that he was doing no more than was right. (London)

My opinion is, she’d come to me. (Weyman)

§ 15. Object clauses are not separated from the principal clause by a stop. If the object clause precedes the principal clause, a comma may or may not be used.

The silence was so long and deep that he looked up, wondering why the Padre did not speak. (Voynich)

... and what Browning had done for her, Martin decided he could do for Ruth. (London)

§ 16. Attributive clauses.

1. Restrictive relative attributive clauses as a rule are not separated from the principal clause by stops.

You may be sure every smuggler in the Apennines will do for a man who was in the Savigno revolt what he will not do for us. (Voynich)

2. Non-restrictive relative attributive clauses are as a rule separated from the principal clause by a comma.

Tom presented himself before Aunt Polly, who was sitting by an open window. (Twain)

1. turned hastily round, and found at my elbow a pretty little girl, who begged to be directed to a certain street at a consid­erable distance. (Dickens)

3. Continuative attributive clauses are always separated from the principal clause by a comma.

Oliver was frightened at the sight of so many gentlemen, which made him tremble: and the beadle gave him another tap behind, which made him cry. (Dickens)

4. Appositive attributive clauses are never separated from the principal clause by a stop.

Note 2.—The abstract noun weather is never used with the indefinite article. What fine weatherl It is burning weather. (Ch. Bronte)

When the noun weather is used in a general sense, the definite article is used.

There are people who say that the weather can influence people’s mood. ( Bennett)

§ 10. Abstract nouns can be used with the indefinite article. In this case the abstract noun denotes a certain kind (оттенок) of a quality, feeling, state, etc. The noun nearly always has a descriptive attribute.

How clever you are, Mr. Hopper. You have a cleverness quite of your own. (Wilde)

In her eyes there was an eagerness, which could hardly be seen without delight. (Austen)

(On the use of articles with countable abstract nouns see note on page 30.)

§ 11. The indefinite article is used with the nouns period, pop­ulation, distance, height, salary, etc. followed by of -f numeral + + noun.

Simpson was out of the city for a period of ten days. (Dreiser)