Punctuation (apostrophe) help required
Discussion
Hi folks,
Currently producing a document that is guide for all the managers in a company on inducting their new employees into their roles.
Which one should the title be?
1. Managers guide to the employee induction programme
2. Manager's guide to the employee induction programme
3. Managers' guide to the employee induction programme
Cheers!
D
>> Edited by -DeaDLocK- on Friday 17th June 10:26
Currently producing a document that is guide for all the managers in a company on inducting their new employees into their roles.
Which one should the title be?
1. Managers guide to the employee induction programme
2. Manager's guide to the employee induction programme
3. Managers' guide to the employee induction programme
Cheers!
D
>> Edited by -DeaDLocK- on Friday 17th June 10:26
In the office here we are in disagreement about that. Not sure whether it's 2 or 3.
The thing is in many cases most people don't know how to use the apostrophe in No. 3, so they wouldn't know whether the usage is right/wrong/appropriate at any given time.
My worry is that Number 3 is indeed the correct one, but most of us are too punctuation blind to see it.
This isn't a guide for a single manager, it is for a group of managers. Would that make a difference?
Is the PH consensus No. 2?
The thing is in many cases most people don't know how to use the apostrophe in No. 3, so they wouldn't know whether the usage is right/wrong/appropriate at any given time.
My worry is that Number 3 is indeed the correct one, but most of us are too punctuation blind to see it.
This isn't a guide for a single manager, it is for a group of managers. Would that make a difference?
Is the PH consensus No. 2?
It can be either 2 or 3, depending how many managers each report is addressing. If you intend the report to demonstrate that it is for ALL the managers, then the apostrophe follows the "S". If, on the other hand, you intend the reoport to refer to the individual manager who happens to be reading it, then the apostrophe is before the "S".
Simple really - just work out whether you are adressing the group as a whole or just the individual.
Frankly, it never ceases to amaze me how such a basic element of English is still not fully understood by intelligent adults. This is the type of stuff we were taught by the age of 9 or 10!
Read "Eats Shoots and Leaves" by Lynn Truss and you might get the hang of all those funny punctuation marks - and have a laugh at the same time.
>> Edited by Eric Mc on Friday 17th June 10:39
Simple really - just work out whether you are adressing the group as a whole or just the individual.
Frankly, it never ceases to amaze me how such a basic element of English is still not fully understood by intelligent adults. This is the type of stuff we were taught by the age of 9 or 10!
Read "Eats Shoots and Leaves" by Lynn Truss and you might get the hang of all those funny punctuation marks - and have a laugh at the same time.
>> Edited by Eric Mc on Friday 17th June 10:39
Hilts said:
I'ts 2 because the guide appears to be given to each individual manager to induct their own particular employees hence singular possessive.
OK wh'oll be the first ?
Was about to post something similar.
Basically, 2 and 3 are technically correct and each could be argued. On that basis, 2 "looks" better in print, so I'd go with that!
tuscan_thunder said:Yep. I can't be bothered to find a link to back this up, but it COULD be:
it's 3
IF
There is more than one manager.
AND
The object belongs to them.
managers's
except that the extra s looks odd following the plural, and so it's dropped.
Here's a handy link though.
Dan
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