was sold

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was sold" is correct and often used in written English.
It is the past tense passive form of the verb "sell." It can be used to describe an action that happened in the past, where the subject of the sentence is the object being sold. Example: The car was sold for a high price at the auction.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

The woman was sold.

The New Yorker

Then I was sold.

The New York Times

She was sold".

The New Yorker

I was sold.

The New York Times

Churchill was sold.

The New Yorker

Everything was sold.

The New Yorker

He was sold.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

4 human-written examples

She was selling stability.

The New York Times

We're sold.

Independent

Ten thousand tickets were sold.

The New Yorker

Books are sold.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "was sold" when you want to emphasize that something was the object of a sale or transaction, rather than who performed the selling action. For example, "The painting was sold at auction for a record price."

Common error

Avoid using "was sold" with a plural subject, which requires "were sold". For instance, instead of saying "The books was sold", the correct phrasing is "The books were sold".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was sold" functions as a passive voice construction, indicating that the subject of the sentence received the action of being sold. This is corroborated by Ludwig AI, which identifies it as the past tense passive form of "sell".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Academia

8%

Wiki

4%

Less common in

Formal & Business

1%

Science

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "was sold" is a grammatically correct and very common passive construction used to indicate that something has been transferred to a buyer. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's the past tense passive form of "sell". Its usage spans various contexts, most notably News & Media, Academia, and Wiki, maintaining a neutral register. When writing, ensure correct subject-verb agreement and consider alternative phrases like "was purchased" or "was acquired" to refine your meaning. With the abundant examples provided by Ludwig, understanding and using "was sold" effectively becomes straightforward.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was purchased

Focuses on the buyer's action rather than the seller's.

was acquired

Suggests a more formal or business-related transaction, often involving companies.

was traded

Implies an exchange of goods or services rather than a simple sale.

was auctioned off

Specifies the method of sale as an auction.

was disposed of

Indicates that the item was gotten rid of, not necessarily through a sale.

found a buyer

Emphasizes the process of finding someone to buy the item.

changed ownership

Highlights the transfer of ownership without specifying the method.

was transferred

Focuses on the act of transfer, which could be through sale, gift, or other means.

went to a new owner

Emphasizes the destination of the item after it left the previous owner.

was under new management

Suggests change in management following purchase.

FAQs

How is "was sold" used in a sentence?

"Was sold" is used to indicate that something has been transferred to a buyer in exchange for money. For example, "The house "was sold quickly" after being listed."

What are some alternatives to using "was sold"?

Alternatives to "was sold" include "was purchased", "was acquired", or "was traded", depending on the context of the sentence.

Is it correct to say "was sell" instead of "was sold"?

No, "was sell" is grammatically incorrect. The correct past participle form of "sell" is "sold". Therefore, the correct phrase is "was sold".

What is the difference between "was sold" and "is sold"?

"Was sold" indicates a past event, meaning the transaction already occurred. "Is sold" implies something is currently being offered for sale or is generally sold. For example, "The tickets "were sold out" yesterday" (past) versus "The tickets "are sold online"" (present).