Question for you grammar people

[peacock2121]

I am creating this program. It is designed to train people who are not on staff and volunteer at seminars for Landmark Education. I have assisted at seminars for quite some time and have something to contribute to people who have never done that before. This is a program to train assistants (or people who assist).

My question:

It is The Assistants Training Program or The Assistant's Training Program?

[Bob Juch]

I am creating this program. It is designed to train people who are not on staff and volunteer at seminars for Landmark Education. I have assisted at seminars for quite some time and have something to contribute to people who have never done that before. This is a program to train assistants (or people who assist).

My question:

It is The Assistants Training Program or The Assistant's Training Program?

Neither!

The Assistants' Training Program

[Beebs52]

I am creating this program. It is designed to train people who are not on staff and volunteer at seminars for Landmark Education. I have assisted at seminars for quite some time and have something to contribute to people who have never done that before. This is a program to train assistants (or people who assist).

My question:

It is The Assistants Training Program or The Assistant's Training Program?

The Assistants

[peacock2121]

I am creating this program. It is designed to train people who are not on staff and volunteer at seminars for Landmark Education. I have assisted at seminars for quite some time and have something to contribute to people who have never done that before. This is a program to train assistants (or people who assist).

My question:

It is The Assistants Training Program or The Assistant's Training Program?

Neither!

The Assistants' Training Program

Okay, but why the " ' " - where is the ownership?

[SportsFan68]

The first.

It's The Assistants Training Program, not The Managerial Training Program.

If you did want to make it a possessive, it would be The Assistants' Training Program. I prefer the the first one because it's descriptive, and besides, you don't have to worry about where the apostrophe goes.

[SportsFan68]

I am creating this program. It is designed to train people who are not on staff and volunteer at seminars for Landmark Education. I have assisted at seminars for quite some time and have something to contribute to people who have never done that before. This is a program to train assistants (or people who assist).

My question:

It is The Assistants Training Program or The Assistant's Training Program?

Neither!

The Assistants' Training Program

Okay, but why the " ' " - where is the ownership?

The assistants own it -- it's their training program. If that's what you want to say, Bob's right.

[peacock2121]

The first.

It's The Assistants Training Program, not The Managerial Training Program.

If you did want to make it a possessive, it would be The Assistants' Training Program. I prefer the the first one because it's descriptive, and besides, you don't have to worry about where the apostrophe goes.

That is what I thought and I am getting some input that I am off.

I like the descriptive part.

[peacock2121]

Neither!

The Assistants' Training Program

Okay, but why the " ' " - where is the ownership?

The assistants own it -- it's their training program. If that's what you want to say, Bob's right.

It's not what I want to say - they don't own it - they are getting trained by it.

Although - I do own it and I am an assistant, and I am not being trained (although I will be, but not as a design of the program) - I am training other assistants.

This is the talking out of it that I needed.

[Bob Juch]

Okay, but why the " ' " - where is the ownership?

The assistants own it -- it's their training program. If that's what you want to say, Bob's right.

It's not what I want to say - they don't own it - they are getting trained by it.

Although - I do own it and I am an assistant, and I am not being trained (although I will be, but not as a design of the program) - I am training other assistants.

This is the talking out of it that I needed.

OK, then no apostrophe.

So why did you ask about The Assistant's Training Program?

[peacock2121]

The assistants own it -- it's their training program. If that's what you want to say, Bob's right.

It's not what I want to say - they don't own it - they are getting trained by it.

Although - I do own it and I am an assistant, and I am not being trained (although I will be, but not as a design of the program) - I am training other assistants.

This is the talking out of it that I needed.

OK, then no apostrophe.

So why did you ask about The Assistant's Training Program?

Because someone else who is involved called it that after I called it the former.

[tlynn78]

Why not "Assistant Training Program"?


t.

[peacock2121]

Why not "Assistant Training Program"?


t.

My first answer is because there will be more than one assistant being trained at a time.

Does that make a difference in that?

[Catfish]

The first.

It's The Assistants Training Program, not The Managerial Training Program.

If you did want to make it a possessive, it would be The Assistants' Training Program. I prefer the the first one because it's descriptive, and besides, you don't have to worry about where the apostrophe goes.

This is correct, as in Veterans Affairs.

[peacock2121]

Why not "Assistant Training Program"?


t.

My first answer is because there will be more than one assistant being trained at a time.

Does that make a difference in that?

And there is always more than one assistant assisting at the seminars.

[SportsFan68]

The first.

It's The Assistants Training Program, not The Managerial Training Program.

If you did want to make it a possessive, it would be The Assistants' Training Program. I prefer the the first one because it's descriptive, and besides, you don't have to worry about where the apostrophe goes.

That is what I thought and I am getting some input that I am off.

I like the descriptive part.

Yeah, darn it, people have been putting in unnecessary apostrophes and commas for a couple of decades now. We're reaping what those Middle School English teachers did 30 years ago. The teachers did it correctly, but now, it just "looks right" to put extra apostrophes in -- sorta like it just "looks right" to put whom in the middle of a sentence.

Same with commas -- you'll often find a comma between rancher and took in a sentence like this: The rancher took his stock to the sale barn early in hopes of getting the best quarters.

[peacock2121]

The first.

It's The Assistants Training Program, not The Managerial Training Program.

If you did want to make it a possessive, it would be The Assistants' Training Program. I prefer the the first one because it's descriptive, and besides, you don't have to worry about where the apostrophe goes.

This is correct, as in Veterans Affairs.

Perfect analogy for my brain!

[tlynn78]

Does that make a difference in that?

I would say no.

I've seen "Manager Training" programs, "Nurse Training" programs, "Intern Training" programs, etc. HOwever many attendees you have at the class, you are training each of them to be an assistant. At least, that's how I see it. But what do I know?


t.

[SportsFan68]

Because someone else who is involved called it that after I called it the former.

I'd bet money that it just "looked right" to her/him.

[peacock2121]

Does that make a difference in that?

I would say no.

I've seen "Manager Training" programs, "Nurse Training" programs, "Intern Training" programs, etc. HOwever many attendees you have at the class, you are training each of them to be an assistant. At least, that's how I see it. But what do I know?


t.

hmmm..... I will think about that one. I am going to train each of them individually.

I shall ponder that one.

[Catfish]

Why not "Assistant Training Program"?


t.

Or "Assistant-Training Program" lest anyone think the chief training program has an assistant.

[Bob Juch]

Why not "Assistant Training Program"?


t.

My first answer is because there will be more than one assistant being trained at a time.

Does that make a difference in that?

You just answered why the second choice was wrong.

[peacock2121]

Because someone else who is involved called it that after I called it the former.

I'd bet money that it just "looked right" to her/him.

I will ask her why she changed it.

I will laugh if she says "It just didn't look right the other way."

[SportsFan68]

The first.

It's The Assistants Training Program, not The Managerial Training Program.

If you did want to make it a possessive, it would be The Assistants' Training Program. I prefer the the first one because it's descriptive, and besides, you don't have to worry about where the apostrophe goes.

This is correct, as in Veterans Affairs.

Perfect analogy for my brain!

I like Catfish's example too.

T makes a good point too. And if you call it The Assistant Training Program, you won't have people constantly bugging you to put an apostrophe in.

[peacock2121]

Why not "Assistant Training Program"?


t.

My first answer is because there will be more than one assistant being trained at a time.

Does that make a difference in that?

You just answered why the second choice was wrong.

I don't get that.

[peacock2121]

Why not "Assistant Training Program"?


t.

Or "Assistant-Training Program" lest anyone think the chief training program has an assistant.

oh boy. Now we're getting into dashes and stuff that I have no clue when and how to use properly.