=Period.=--The period (.) is put at the end of every complete sentence that is not exclamatory or interrogative. It is also used as a part of every abbreviation, and after every initial letter standing in place of the full word in a name. “A. M.” (for Master of Arts), “Mr.” (for Mister), “Esq.” (for Esquire), “R. W. Emerson” (for Ralph Waldo Emerson), “Dr.” (for doctor). =Note of Interrogation.=--The note of interrogation (?) should follow every direct question: “Are you coming?” “Shall I buy it?” An interrogation point does not, however, follow an indirect question, such as “Let me know what he says.” =Note of Exclamation.=--The note of exclamation (!) follows an exclamation, or any series of words denoting an outburst of feeling. “Alas!” “Three cheers!” “Hurrah!” =Colon.=--The colon (:) is used to divide from one another the several co-ordinate members of a compound sentence, when they might each of them form an independent sentence, but are ranged side by side in a compound sentence for the sake of better showing how they illustrate one another. “New York is a wonderful city: The wealthiest in America.” A quotation or enumeration of details is often preceded by a colon. “He spoke as follows:” “His last words were:” “Among those present were:” =Semi-Colon.=--The semi-colon (;) separates co-ordinate sentences more dependent on one another than are those parted by the colon. “Where it is prescribed that an act is to be done; or that the adverse party has a specified time to do an act; if service required is doubly the time allowed; except that,” etc. In sentences containing two sets of subjects and predicates where either clause is very long or contains a subordinate clause, it is well to use a semi-colon. =Parentheses.=--Parentheses () are used to enclose words or phrases in a sentence, inserted by way of explanation or comment, but lying outside of the construction of the sentence: “You see (as I predicted would be the case) I have had a long journey for nothing.” =Dash.=--The dash (--) denotes, in most cases, a sudden digression from the general run of the sentence: “I want to tell you--but first let us go into the house.” Sometimes the dash takes the place of the parentheses, when the clause, though digressive, bears some relation to the context. =Brackets.=--Brackets [] are used to isolate interpolated words from the passage in which they are used: “The examiner said that if they [the candidates] were discovered talking with each other he [the examiner] would have them [the candidates] expelled from the room.” =Hyphen.=--A hyphen (-) is used, first to connect the part of a word at the end of a line with the remaining letters or syllables of the word beginning the next line; second, to conjoin two or more words into a compound word; as, “a never-to-be-forgotten day;” “long-winded,” etc.