::before

/* Add a heart before links */
a::before {
  content: "?";
}

/* CSS3 syntax */
::before

/* CSS2 syntax */
:before

<q>Some quotes,</q> he said, <q>are better than none.</q>

q::before { 
  content: "?";
  color: blue;
}
q::after { 
  content: "?";
  color: red;
}

<span class="ribbon">Notice where the orange box is.</span>

.ribbon {
  background-color: #5BC8F7;
}

.ribbon::before {
  content: "Look at this orange box.";
  background-color: #FFBA10;
  border-color: black;
  border-style: dotted;
}

<ul>
  <li>Buy milk</li>
  <li>Take the dog for a walk</li>
  <li>Exercise</li>
  <li>Write code</li>
  <li>Play music</li>
  <li>Relax</li>
</ul>

li {
  list-style-type: none;
  position: relative;
  margin: 2px;
  padding: 0.5em 0.5em 0.5em 2em;
  background: lightgrey;
  font-family: sans-serif;
}

li.done {
  background: #CCFF99;
}

li.done::before {
  content: '';
  position: absolute;
  border-color: #009933;
  border-style: solid;
  border-width: 0 0.3em 0.25em 0;
  height: 1em;
  top: 1.3em;
  left: 0.6em;
  margin-top: -1em;
  transform: rotate(45deg);
  width: 0.5em;
}

var list = document.querySelector('ul');
list.addEventListener('click', function(ev) {
  if( ev.target.tagName === 'LI') {
     ev.target.classList.toggle('done'); 
  }
}, false);

<div class="example">
<span id="floatme">"Floated Before" should be generated on the left of the 
viewport and not allow overflow in this line to flow under it. Likewise 
should "Floated After" appear on the right of the viewport and not allow this 
line to flow under it.</span>
</div>

#floatme { float: left; width: 50%; }

/* To get an empty column, just indicate a hex code for a non-breaking space: \a0 as the content (use \0000a0 when following such a space with other characters) */
.example::before {
  content: "Floated Before";
  float: left;
  width: 25%
}
.example::after {
  content: "Floated After";
  float: right;
  width:25%
}

/* For styling */
.example::before, .example::after, .first {
  background: yellow;
  color: red;
}