Here is a detailed list of what some punctuation marks show:
1. Period (.): It marks the end of a declarative sentence or an imperative sentence, and also in abbreviations (e.g., Mrs., Dr., etc.).
2. Comma (,): A comma separates elements in a list, including more than three words, and connects independent clauses. It can also show omission of certain words or parts of a sentence or indicate a pause in speech.
3. Semicolon (;): A semicolon separates independent clauses that are closely related, especially when one clause elaborates on the other.
4. Question mark (?): A question mark indicates that the sentence is a question.
5. Colon (:): A colon is used to introduce examples, explanations, lists, or quotations, or to clarify additional information.
6. Apostrophe (' or ''): An apostrophe indicates omission of a letter or contraction of two words or shows something belonging to something else (possessive form).
7. Exclamation mark (!): An exclamation mark shows strong emotions, such as excitement or surprise.
8. Ellipsis (...): An ellipsis conveys a sense of incompleteness, continuation, or omission of words.
9. Parentheses (): Parentheses enclose words or phrases that provide additional information or clarification, or make comments.
10. Quotation marks (" or ''): Quotation marks indicate direct quotations, speech, or the title or chapter of a book.
11. Square brackets [ ]: Square brackets enclose words or phrases that are not part of the original text but are added for clarification or correction.
12. Hypen (-): A hyphen connects compound words, separates a word at the end of a line (hyphenation), or in numbers (twenty-five).
13. Dash (—): Longer than a hyphen, a dash can mark various interjections, a sudden change of thought or interruption in speech, a range, or additional but optional information.
14. Slash (/): A slash separates options, alternatives, line breaks in poetry, or dates (dd/mm/yy).
15. Asterisk (*): An asterisk marks footnotes or indicates omitted words due to censorship.
16. Number sign or Hashtag (#): In recent times, the number sign (#) is used in social media to tag or categorize content.
These punctuation marks play a vital role in written communication by providing necessary grammatical structure, indicating tone and emotions, and making texts easier to read and comprehend.