are being sold

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "are being sold" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation where items are currently being offered for sale. For example, "The new hats are being sold in the store across the street."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Parts of the business are being sold.

The Economist

Our rights are being sold.

The Guardian - Opinion

But books are being sold.

The New York Times

Smaller companies are being sold or merged.

The New York Times

It is we who are being sold.

The Guardian - Opinion

Several are being sold by Americans.

The New York Times - Arts

Two kinds of spectrum are being sold.

The Guardian

Bits of it are being sold off piecemeal.

The Economist

The farther flung ABN offices in Asia are being sold.

The Economist

Both it and the manor house are being sold furnished.

The New York Times

Factories are being sold as scrap across the Chinese border.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing ongoing commercial activities, use "are being sold" to emphasize the current state of items or services available for purchase. This can effectively convey real-time market dynamics or promotional periods.

Common error

Avoid confusing "are being sold" with past tense forms like "were sold" or future tense forms like "will be sold". Use "are being sold" specifically for present, continuous actions of selling.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "are being sold" functions as a passive present continuous construction. It describes an action (selling) that is currently happening to a subject. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Academia

10%

Science

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Wiki

7%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "are being sold" is a grammatically sound and frequently used construction in the English language. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it accurately describes items or services presently available for purchase, and it appears across a variety of sources, with a strong presence in news and media. When using this phrase, ensure you're referring to a current, ongoing action and choose appropriate alternatives like "are on sale" or "are available for purchase" based on context. Be mindful of tense consistency to avoid miscommunication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

are on sale

Focuses on the availability of items at a reduced price.

are now selling

Highlights the present and ongoing state of selling.

are available for purchase

Emphasizes the possibility of buying something.

are up for sale

Highlights the offering of items for purchase.

are being offered

Focuses on the act of presenting items for sale.

are currently marketed

Highlights the ongoing promotional aspect of sales.

are being auctioned

Specifies the method of sale through an auction.

are being traded

Emphasizes the exchange aspect of the sale.

are in the market

Indicates that items are present and ready for trade.

are being disposed of

Focuses on the act of getting rid of items, often through selling.

FAQs

How do I use "are being sold" in a sentence?

Use "are being sold" to describe items or services currently available for purchase. For example, "Tickets "are being sold" online" indicates that tickets are presently on offer.

What can I say instead of "are being sold"?

You can use alternatives like "are on sale", "are available for purchase", or "are up for sale" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "is being sold" instead of "are being sold"?

No, "is being sold" is singular, while "are being sold" is plural. Use "is being sold" when referring to a single item and "are being sold" when referring to multiple items. For example: "The car is being sold", "The cars "are being sold"".

What's the difference between "are being sold" and "were being sold"?

"Are being sold" refers to a present, ongoing action, while "were being sold" refers to an action that was ongoing in the past. For example: "These books are being sold now" vs. "These books "were being sold" last week".