we were selling

USAGE SUMMARY

"we were selling" is a perfectly correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is an example of the past continuous tense. You can use it to indicate an activity that was in progress in the past. For example: "We were selling our old furniture at the flea market when we realized that we could make more money by hosting an online store."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

We were selling more".

The New York Times

We were selling up until curtain".

The New York Times

"You'd think we were selling cocaine".

The New York Times

At first, we were selling very few.

The New York Times

What we were selling was a guilt-free snack food".

The New York Times

We were selling people countless things that they didn't need.

The Guardian

In 2004, we were selling around 190 Telegraphs a day.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"Before, we were selling about 100 litres each day.

The Guardian - Business

Hey, that's what we were selling: vitality and sensuality".

The New Yorker

When the prescription medicines were out, we were selling Visine".

The New York Times

"When we started, we were selling hamburgers and cheesesteaks.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "we were selling" to describe an ongoing sales activity in the past, providing context about the duration or circumstances surrounding the selling process.

Common error

Avoid switching between past continuous ("we were selling") and simple past ("we sold") without a clear reason. Use "we were selling" to emphasize the duration of the activity and "we sold" to indicate its completion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "we were selling" functions as a verb phrase in the past continuous tense. Ludwig AI confirms it describes an ongoing action in the past. Examples show it used across various contexts to depict sales activities that were in progress.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "we were selling" is a very common and grammatically sound phrase used to describe a past, ongoing sales activity. As Ludwig AI points out, its consistent use across diverse contexts such as News & Media, Formal & Business, and Science, highlights its versatility. When using this phrase, ensure it aligns with the intended meaning of an action in progress. Related phrases like "we had been selling" or "we sold" offer nuanced alternatives for emphasizing duration or completion, respectively. Avoiding tense inconsistencies will further refine your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

we had been selling

Emphasizes the duration of the selling activity before a specific point in the past.

we sold

Simple past tense, focusing on the completion of the selling action rather than its duration.

we used to sell

Indicates a past habit or repeated action of selling.

we are selling

Present continuous tense, indicating an ongoing selling activity.

we marketed

Focuses on the marketing aspect of selling, emphasizing promotional activities.

we offered for sale

More formal way of saying "we were selling", emphasizing the offering aspect.

we were distributing

Highlights the distribution aspect of selling, focusing on how goods were made available.

we were vending

Focuses on the act of selling goods, often in a public or informal setting.

we traded

Highlights the exchange aspect of selling, implying a swap of goods or services.

we moved

Informal way of saying "we were selling", implying that the goods were being sold quickly.

FAQs

How can I use "we were selling" in a sentence?

Use "we were selling" to describe an action of selling that was in progress in the past. For example, "We were selling lemonade at the park when it started to rain."

What's a more formal alternative to "we were selling"?

A more formal alternative would be "we were offering for sale", which emphasizes the act of making something available to purchase.

What is the difference between "we were selling" and "we sold"?

"We were selling" implies a continuous action in the past, while "we sold" indicates a completed action. For example, "We were selling tickets all day" versus "We sold all the tickets by the evening."

When is it appropriate to use "we had been selling" instead of "we were selling"?

Use "we had been selling" to emphasize that the selling activity occurred over a period of time before another point in the past. For example, "We had been selling merchandise for years before we opened our store."