Question

Which revision best corrects the errors in the given sentence? A firm handshake like a friendly smile, a pleasant attitude, and good manners is a valuable asset in life.
a. A firm handshake—like a friendly smile, a pleasant attitude, and good manners—is a valuable asset in life.
b. A firm handshake: like a friendly smile; a pleasant attitude; and good manners, is a valuable asset in life.
c. A firm handshake, like a friendly smile, a pleasant attitude, and good manners—is a valuable asset in life.

Answer 1

A. A firm handshake - like a friendly smile, a pleasant attitude; and good manners -  is a valuable asset in life.


In a sentence, the colon should only be used if the entire sentence is a list, and a hyphen cannot be used to separate sections, unless it is used at either end. Therefore A is the correct answer.

Answer 2

A firm handshake, a friendly smile, a pleasent attitude, and good manners-is a valuable asset in lifee.