had been sold

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'had been sold' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you are talking about something in the past that happened before something else in the past. For example: "The house on the corner had been sold by the time I moved to the neighborhood."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Alas, it had been sold.

The New York Times

She had been sold.

The Washington Post

The stock on hand had been sold.

The Economist

The plants in Illinois and California had been sold.

The New Yorker

More than 400 apartments had been sold.

The New York Times

By 1961, 250m books had been sold.

The Guardian - Books

The rest had been sold for scrap.

The New York Times

Within two years 2m sets of Monopoly had been sold.

The Economist

"I wasn't aware that I had been sold PPI".

Independent

He would not say how many devices had been sold.

The New York Times - Science

In 10 weeks, 100 million had been sold.

The New York Times - Food

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been sold" to clearly indicate that a sale occurred before another event in the past, establishing a sequence of past actions. For example: "The tickets "had been sold" out before we arrived at the venue."

Common error

Avoid using "was sold" when you need to emphasize that the sale happened before another past event. "Was sold" simply indicates a past action, while ""had been sold"" specifies a prior completion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been sold" functions as a past perfect passive construction. It indicates that the action of selling was completed before a specific point in the past. Ludwig confirms that this phrase is grammatically sound and widely used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

57%

Academia

22%

Wiki

7%

Less common in

Science

7%

Formal & Business

7%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "had been sold" is a past perfect passive construction used to describe a sale that occurred before another event in the past. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and wide applicability. It's most frequently found in News & Media and Academic contexts, highlighting its versatility across different registers. When writing, ensure you use "had been sold" to emphasize the sequence of events, differentiating it from the simple past "was sold". By using "had been sold" correctly, you add clarity and precision to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was sold

Simple past passive voice, lacking the emphasis on completion or prior occurrence.

has been sold

Present perfect passive, indicating a sale completed at some point before now.

got sold

Informal equivalent of "was sold", less formal than "had been sold".

were sold

Passive past, but referring to plural subjects.

had its sale

Rephrasing using a noun form of sale.

was auctioned off

Indicates the item was sold through an auction.

was purchased earlier

Highlights the action of buying in the past.

changed ownership

Focuses on the change of ownership rather than the act of selling.

had been traded

Suggests an exchange rather than a direct sale.

was divested

Implies a formal or corporate sale, particularly of assets.

FAQs

How is "had been sold" used in a sentence?

The phrase ""had been sold"" is used to indicate that something was sold at a time before another point in the past. For instance, "By the time I arrived, all the tickets "had been sold"."

What's the difference between "had been sold" and "was sold"?

"Had been sold" indicates a past action completed before another past event, while "was sold" simply describes a past action without specifying its relation to another event. Using ""had been sold"" helps clarify the timeline of events.

What can I say instead of "had been sold"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "was sold", "has been sold", or "got sold" (/s/got+sold). The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

When should I use "had been sold" instead of "has been sold"?

Use ""had been sold"" when describing a past action that occurred before another point in the past. Use "has been sold" when describing an action that has been completed at some point before now and has relevance to the present.