1. Punctuation
Punctuation, one is taught, has a point: to keep law and order. Punctuation marks are road signs placed along the highway of our communication: to control speeds, provide directions and prevent head-on collisions.
A period has the unblinking finality of a red light; the comma is a flashing yellow light that asks us to slow down; and the semicolon is a stop sign that tells us to ease gradually to a halt, before gradually starting up again.

2. Exclamation point
Use an exclamation point at the end of an emphatic declaration, interjection, or command.
Example: "No!" he yelled. "Do it now!” !

3. Colon
Use a colon before a list or an explanation that is preceded by a clause that can stand by itself, and after a salutation in a business letter, between the hour and minute.
Example: There is only one thing left to do now: confess while you still have time. :

4. ; Semicolon OR Use a semicolon to help sort out a monster list.
Example: There were citizens from Bangor, Maine; Hartford, Connecticut; Boston, Massachusetts; and Newport, Rhode Island. OR
To separate closely related independent clauses.

Example: My grandmother seldom goes to bed this early; she's afraid she'll miss out on something. ;

5. Period .
Use a period at the end of a sentence that makes a statement or in an abbreviation.
Example: Mr. Michaels went to the mall today.

6. ? Question marks Use a question mark at the end of a question.
Example: What did you say? ?

7. Apostrophe
use an apostrophe to create possessive forms, contractions, and some plurals
Example:
I am = I'm
you are = you're
she is = she's
it is = it's ‘

8. Quotation mark
Use quotation marks to set off material that represents quoted or spoken language.
Put quotes around the title of a short story, essay, poem, song, magazine or newspaper.article, or book chapter. “

9. Parentheses
Use parentheses to include material that you want to de-emphasize or that wouldn't normally fit into the flow of your text but you want to include nonetheless
Example: Thirty-five years after his death, Robert Frost (we remember him at Kennedy's inauguration) remains America's favorite poet.
( )

10. Brackets
Use brackets to include explanatory words or phrases within quoted language
Example: Lew Perkins, the Director of Athletic Programs, said, “Pumita Espinoza, the new soccer coach [at Notre Dame Academy] is going to be a real winner.”
[ ]

11. Dash/Hyphen
Use a dash in between compound words, numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine, and to divide a word when you run out of room at the end of a line
Example: You are 12-year-old geniuses! -

12. Slash
Use a slash to indicate a choice between the words it separates
Example: Using the pass/fail option backfired on her; she could've gotten an A. /

13. Underlining / Italicizing Text
Use italics or underline the title of a book, play, film, television series, works of art, magazine, or newspaper.