This document provides examples and definitions for various punctuation marks: - Periods are used to end declarative sentences and abbreviations. Question marks follow interrogative sentences. Commas introduce quotations and separate items in a list. - Colons introduce a formal quotation or separate items. Semicolons join independent clauses not joined by a conjunction. Brackets enclose explanatory comments within quotes. - Apostrophes show possession and omitted letters. Hyphens join compound words or break up numbers. Slashes indicate alternatives.