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I would use "on training" as a short form of "on a training course":

  • I'm on training next week.

I would use "in training" (or simply "training") for something that is more long term:

  • I'm in training for the London marathon.
  • I'm in training to be a nurse.
  • I'm training for the London marathon.
  • I'm training to be a nurse.

Would you agree?

Are there any differences between British and American English when it comes to "in training" and "on training"?

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    I wouldn't normally use either: I'd say "I'm on a course". But if pushed, I think I'd say "in training", but with a different meaning to the idiom "in training", which as you say is a long-term programme. (British English).
    – Colin Fine
    Commented Sep 22, 2016 at 14:52
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    What @Colin said. The preposition in is far more common in both AmE and BrE, but whereas on is so rare in BrE it doesn't occur often enough to show on the chart there, it does actually occur enough to graph with the AmE corpus. I mainly put that down to the historically greater number of non-native speakers in the US. Commented Sep 22, 2016 at 15:14
  • As a British-English speaker I agree that there are circumstances in which I'd use 'on training' as you describe. I think that the reason isn't just that it's effectively short for 'on a course' but is also reinforced in a work setting by the use of other phrases like, 'I'm out on business that day', or 'I'll be out on site'. So in a work context, for me, it's short for eg 'I'll be out of the office on a training course'. I might just as easily say 'I'm out on a course' though.
    – Spagirl
    Commented Sep 22, 2016 at 15:17
  • FWIW, I have never heard on training in AmE.
    – Drew
    Commented Sep 22, 2016 at 16:02
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    I'm American, and I can't recall ever hearing (or saying) "on training*, but I think I would understand it if I heard it.  It might even be natural in the context of, "I'm working on Project Q for the next month; what are you on?"   I would say "I'm in training," even if it was just for a day — or (perhaps depending on context) "I'm taking training." Commented Sep 22, 2016 at 19:27

2 Answers 2

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I'm in training next week for your status or I'm at training next week for your location would be idiomatic to indicate that you are attending, receiving, or taking training classes, in standard English on either side of the pond. Most instances I found of he is on training and so on seem to come from non-native speakers.

But there are various contexts— albeit contrived— where on could be acceptable to reflect other ways you relate to training. There are rather numerous uses of on, after all. For some AHD senses:

1f. Used to indicate figurative or abstract position

on could be employed if training is one item in a list or sequence being done.

I am rewriting the entire employee manual. I was on travel last week, and I am on training this week.

If training is a work status or role, under

8a. Used to indicate the state or process of

you could note I was out on travel last week, and out on training this week, but I am back on duty the rest of the month.

  1. Used to indicate belonging to

I am on training this week could mean I am a member of the training team this week.

  1. At the expense of; compliments of

I am on training this week, because the QA budget ran out.

These are highly contextual or informal, and can be awkward, but they could explain the appearance of on training in various places.

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In a comment, FumbleFingers wrote:

The preposition in is far more common in both AmE and BrE, but whereas on is so rare in BrE it doesn't occur often enough to show on the chart there, it does actually occur enough to graph with the AmE corpus. I mainly put that down to the historically greater number of non-native speakers in the US.

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