PS response: In this case, you could simply ask "has anyone been there? What was your experience?" In this case using the passive voice set you up for gender-contrivance!
Trust me, the challenge in general conversation is simple compared to theology. God was called he for a couple thousand years, even mistranslated from gender neutral to male. Try making theological conversation equally inclusive....no one is happy or comfortable. (personally, I think it is worth the effort in every situation)and I think it is cool you even commented on it!

I haven't been there, but I'm only about 20 minutes from Franklin, so if you decide to go, give me a shout. We could include with it a visit to Emma's Perennials in Hill, about another 20 minutes. (I'll be working out of state on & off all summer, but if I'm around I'd be interested in going. )

They had a bunch of workshops last summer - are they doing that again?

Nhbabs, I'll let you know if I decide to go. I'd like to talk to somebody who has been there before I do, though.

Maybe I should learn how to use "their" and "there" correctly before I worry about the other grammar holes, huh? Now, that's a thought! One of my biggest pet peeves and yet there it is, by my own hand. Nothing like some good humility to start your week!

Deanna,

Just by way of conversation, the default possesive pronoun for third person singular is "his", unless you are addressing an entirely female group, when you may use "her". Today, grammar is so often messed up that I hear things like the following all the time:

"Does everyone have their book?"
instead of
"Does everyone have his book?"
and
"Did anyone lose their pencil?"
instead of
"Did anyone lose his pencil?"

This is even on TV and in movies and on the radio. It's so often used that it's becoming accepted.

And you're right to question the use of "there", "their" and "they're". Also the same for "your" and "you're".

I have a few pet peeves but it seems nobody cares anyway so it would be a losing battle.

Oh and for the record, it should be "I wish there were a gender-neutral term for the third person singular possessive."

God I feel like an English teacher! My comments are only made because you were discussing grammar and certainly not intended to be anything more. After all I ain't no expurt! LOL!

I know "his" is the traditional default, but I always feel silly addressing a group made mostly of women, or even partly of women, as "his." It's the traditionally correct term, but it's not the comfortable term, for some reason. Maybe it's not comfortable because we are hearing the incorrect use of "their" everywhere, so a gender-specific term sounds weird.

And, why would you use "were" instead of "was?" It sounds acceptable, but since I'm referring to a singular noun (term) it seems like the verb should be singular as well. I could say, "I wish there were terms," or "I was there was a term."

Taint it nice ter talk to the educated folk?

Traditionally "were" is the singular subjunctive form of "to be" (as in the song "If I were a rich man.....") and is still correct but a more modern trend is to use "was" and it's becoming accepted. After all, language rules change with usage over time. I just hate to see all the rules abandoned at once. Then we'd have a lot of problems with communication. As it is English is fast becoming the minority language in our country. And what about the overuse of some words and phrases? "That's awesome, dude!" Heard that a few times, haven't we? English has more words than almost any other language but people use the same ones over and over. Maybe the reason we like gardening is because plants don't say anything!