diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0a46355..ecb3bb8 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -2,24 +2,36 @@
 
 *This list originated from a wiki page from Codehaus (http://docs.codehaus.org/display/MAVENUSER/MavenPropertiesGuide) which unfortunately has been gone with the shutdown of Codehaus*
 
+## Command to list the JVM system properties and environment variables, and their values
 
-Note: In Maven 3.0, all pom.* properties are deprecated. Use project.* instead!
+```
+mvn help:system
+```
+
+## Command to get the value of a given property, e.g. `${project.basedir}`
+
+```
+mvn help:evaluate -Dexpression=project.basedir -q -DforceStdout
+```
 
 ## Built-in properties
-`${project.basedir}` represents the directory containing pom.xml (deprecated: `${basedir}`)   
-`${project.baseUri}` the directory containing the pom.xml file as URI   
-`${project.version}` (deprecated: `${pom.version}` and `${version}`)   
-`${maven.home}`	The path to the current Maven home   
-`${maven.version}`	The version number of the current Maven execution (since 3.0.4)   
-`${maven.build.version}`	The full build version of the current Maven execution (since 3.0.4). For example, "Apache Maven 3.2.2 (r01de14724cdef164cd33c7c8c2fe155faf9602da; 2013-02-19T14:51:28+01:00)".
+
+**Note:** In Maven 3.0, all `${pom.*}` properties are deprecated. Use `${project.*}` instead!
+
+`${project.basedir}` represents the directory containing `pom.xml` (deprecated: `${basedir}`)
+`${project.baseUri}` the directory containing the `pom.xml` file as URI
+`${project.version}` (deprecated: `${pom.version}` and `${version}`)
+`${maven.home}` The path to the current Maven home
+`${maven.version}` The version number of the current Maven execution (since 3.0.4)
+`${maven.build.version}` The full build version of the current Maven execution (since 3.0.4). For example, `Apache Maven 3.2.2 (r01de14724cdef164cd33c7c8c2fe155faf9602da; 2013-02-19T14:51:28+01:00)`.
 
 ## Pom/Project properties
-All elements in the pom.xml, can be referenced with the project. prefix. This list is just an example of some commonly used elements. (deprecated: `${pom.}` prefix)  
-`${project.build.directory}` results in the path to your "target" directory
-`${project.build.outputDirectory}` results in the path to your "target/classes" directory  
-`${project.name}` refers to the name of the project (deprecated: `${pom.name}` ).  
-`${project.version}` refers to the version of the project (deprecated: `${pom.version}`).  
-`${project.groupId}` refers to the groupId of the project  
+All elements in the `pom.xml`, can be referenced with the project. prefix. This list is just an example of some commonly used elements. (deprecated: `${pom.}` prefix)
+`${project.build.directory}` results in the path to your `target` directory
+`${project.build.outputDirectory}` results in the path to your `target/classes` directory
+`${project.name}` refers to the name of the project (deprecated: `${pom.name}` ).
+`${project.version}` refers to the version of the project (deprecated: `${pom.version}`).
+`${project.groupId}` refers to the groupId of the project
 `${project.build.finalName}` refers to the final name of the file created when the built project is packaged
 
 ## Local user settings
@@ -27,54 +39,56 @@ Similarly, values in the user's settings.xml can be referenced using property na
 `${settings.localRepository}` refers to the path of the user's local repository
 
 ## Environment variables
-Environment variables can be referenced using the env prefix  
-`${env.M2_HOME}` returns the Maven2 installation path.  
+Environment variables can be referenced using the env prefix
+`${env.M2_HOME}` returns the Maven2 installation path.
 `${java.home}` specifies the path to the current JRE_HOME environment use with relative paths to get for example:
-`<jvm>${java.home}../bin/java.exe</jvm>`
+```xml
+<jvm>${java.home}../bin/java.exe</jvm>
+```
 
 ## Java system properties
 All Java System Properties defined by the JVM:
-`${file.separator}`  
-`${java.class.path}`  
-`${java.home}`  
-`${java.vendor}`  
-`${java.vendor.url}`  
-`${java.version}`  
-`${line.separator}`  
-`${os.arch}`  
-`${os.name}`  
-`${os.version}`  
-`${path.separator}`  
-`${user.dir}`  
-`${user.home}`  
-`${user.name}`  
+`${file.separator}`
+`${java.class.path}`
+`${java.home}`
+`${java.vendor}`
+`${java.vendor.url}`
+`${java.version}`
+`${line.separator}`
+`${os.arch}`
+`${os.name}`
+`${os.version}`
+`${path.separator}`
+`${user.dir}`
+`${user.home}`
+`${user.name}`
 ...
 
 ## Custom properties in the POM
-User defined properties in the pom.xml.
-```
+User defined properties in the `pom.xml`.
+```xml
 <project>
 ...
   <properties>
-     <my.filter.value>hello</my.filter.value>
+    <my.filter.value>hello</my.filter.value>
   </properties>
 ...
 </project>
 ```
 
-`${my.filter.value}` will result in hello if you inserted the above XML fragment in your pom.xml
+`${my.filter.value}` will result in `hello` if you inserted the above XML fragment in your `pom.xml`
 
 ## Build Information
-`${build.timestamp}` or `${maven.build.timestamp}` UTC timestamp of build start (default format: yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ss'Z'), format can be overridden with `${maven.build.timestamp.format}`	
+`${build.timestamp}` or `${maven.build.timestamp}` UTC timestamp of build start (default format: `yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ss'Z'`), format can be overridden with `${maven.build.timestamp.format}`
 
 ## Parent Project variables
 How can parent project variables be accessed?
 You can use the prefix: `${project.parent}`.
-A good way to determine possible variables is to have a look directly at the API. I'm currently using Maven 2.2.1, and to access the Parent you can use `${project.parent}`. This will return an org.apache.maven.project.MavenProject instance.  
+A good way to determine possible variables is to have a look directly at the API. I'm currently using Maven 2.2.1, and to access the Parent you can use `${project.parent}`. This will return an org.apache.maven.project.MavenProject instance.
 To access the parent version: `${parent.version}.`
 
 ## Reflection Properties
-The pattern `${someX.someY.someZ}` can simply sometimes mean getSomeX().getSomeY().getSomeZ(). Thus, properties such as ${project.build.directory} is translated to getProject().getBuild().getDirectory().
+The pattern `${someX.someY.someZ}` can simply sometimes mean `getSomeX().getSomeY().getSomeZ()`. Thus, properties such as `${project.build.directory}` is translated to `getProject().getBuild().getDirectory()`.
 
 ## Further information
 http://maven.apache.org/components/ref/3-LATEST/maven-model-builder/