Semicolon, Colon, Dash, Hypthen, Parenthesis.

Hyphen

The hyphen is a punctuation mark used to join words and to separate syllables of a single word.

When parenthetical content occurs at the end of a larger sentence, the closing punctuation mark for the sentence is placed outside the closing parenthesis.

After three weeks on set, the cast was fed up with his direction (or, rather, lack of direction).

When parenthetical content occurs in the middle of a larger sentence, the surrounding punctuation should be placed outside the parentheses, exactly as it would be if the parenthetical content were not there.

We verified his law degree (Yale, class of 2002), but his work history remains unconfirmed.

When a complete sentence occurs in parentheses in the middle of a larger sentence, it should neither be capitalized nor end with a period—though a question mark or exclamation point is acceptable.

We verified his law degree (none of us thought he was lying about that) but not his billion-dollar verdict against Exxon (how gullible did he think we were?).

Dash

Semicolon, Colon, Dash, Hyphen, Parenthesis.

'Em' Dash : 'En Dash' : 'Hyphen'

The dash—which is typically typed as two hyphens or as one long bar (available on your word processor’s “symbol” map)—functions almost as a colon does in that it adds to the preceding material, but with extra emphasis. Like a caesura (a timely pause) in music, a dash indicates a strong pause, then gives emphasis to material following the pause. In effect, a dash allows you to redefine what was just written, making it more explicit. You can also use a dash as it is used in the first sentence of this paragraph: to frame an interruptive or parenthetical-type comment that you do not want to de-emphasize.

Jill Emery confirms that Muslim populations have typically been ruled by non-Muslims—specifically Americans, Russians, Israelis, and the French.

The dissolution took 20 minutes—much longer than anticipated—but measurements were begun as soon as the process was completed.

'Em' dash. Typed by a double stroke of the hyphen key (--). In 'Word' it will automatically change to an 'em dash'. If you don't have 'Word', two dashes are fine (or if using a typewriter).

'En' dash. Slightly shorter than an 'em' dash. Writers don't worry about this; typesetters do.

Hyphen. The shortest of these marks. Has NOTHING TO DO WITH DASHES.

Parentheses (round brackets)

Semicolon

The idea that theoretical physics can be taught without reference to complex mathematics is patently absurd. (But don’t tell that to the publishers of such mathematics-free books—or the people who buy them.)

When a parenthetical sentence stands on its own, the closing punctuation mark for the sentence is placed inside the closing parenthesis.

“Here is a lesson in creative writing. First rule: Do not use semicolons. They are transvestite hermaphrodites representing absolutely nothing. All they do is show you've been to college.”

― Kurt Vonnegut, A Man Without a Country

Colon

The Petri dish: one of the biologist’s most fundamental tools.

In low carbon steels, banding tends to affect two properties in particular: tensile ductility and yield strength.

The sonde presently used is located in the center of the borehole; this location enables the engineer to reduce microphonics and standoff sensitivity.

As an engineering assistant, I had a variety of duties: participating in pressure ventilation surveys; drafting, surveying, and data compilation; acting as a company representative during a roof-bolt pull test.

Square Brackets

https://www.e-education.psu.edu/styleforstudents/c2_p5.html

In his memoirs, the author reveals, “The year we moved into the house [1985] was a difficult one for us, both emotionally and financially.”

“I seldom spoke in French class. When I did, I usually just said je ne sais pas [I don’t know].”

“[T]his study has been widely cited, notwithstanding its dubious methodology.”

Ellipses

An ellipsis is a set of three stops ( . . . ) indicating an omission. Each stop should have a single space on either side, except when adjacent to a quotation mark, in which case there should be no space.

i.e. . . . and not ...

I wasn’t really . . . well, what I mean . . . see, the thing is . . . I didn’t mean it.

Ellipses for omitted material:

Thoreau believes that “if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, . . . he will live with the license of a higher order of beings.”