which bought for

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "which bought for" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to refer to something that was purchased for a specific purpose or recipient, but the structure is awkward and unclear. Example: "The gift, which was bought for her birthday, was a beautiful necklace."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

According to the "prices realized detail" posted to the auction house's website, the item that fetched the highest price at that auction was a "non-firing DL-44 blaster" wielded by Harrison Ford's Han Solo character in "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi," which bought for $200,000.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

The shift is also an important development for Google, which bought YouTube for $1.65 billion in 2006.

The New York Times - Tech

It also represents a huge lift for GE, which bought NBC for $6.3 billion in 1986.

Forbes

BC Partners, which bought Phones4U for £700m in 2011, is actively looking for an exit.

The Guardian - Business

Bank of America, which bought MBNA for $35 billion in 2005, had been accused of overpaying at the time.

The New York Times

Chappell owns 90% of Retail Acquisitions, which bought BHS for £1 from Green in March 2015.

The Guardian - Business

It also reported owing $35.5 million to the California Power Exchange, which bought electricity for use in that state.

The New York Times

So Google, which bought YouTube for $1.65 billion in October 2006, decided to help.

The New York Times

The event was staged by the Kratter Corp., Marvin Kratter President, which bought Ebbets Field for a housing project and a Little League ballpark.

The New Yorker

The largest shareholder, with a 49.66% stake, is Tata, which bought Tetley for £271m in 2000.

The Guardian

In came Amersham, which bought Praelux for between $5 million and $10 million in late 1999.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a purchase, use clear and grammatically correct phrases like "that was bought for" or "which was purchased for" to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Ensure that relative clauses clearly connect to the nouns they modify. Misusing "which bought for" can create confusion. Instead, rephrase to clearly indicate the subject and action, such as "which was bought for" or "that they bought for".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "which bought for" functions as part of a relative clause aiming to provide additional information about a noun. However, according to Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically incorrect and lacks clarity, necessitating rephrasing for effective communication.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Academia

33%

Wiki

33%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "which bought for" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided in both formal and informal writing. As Ludwig AI points out, the phrase lacks clarity and requires a subject to perform the action of buying. Effective alternatives include "which was bought for" or "that was purchased for", ensuring clear and grammatically correct communication. While some examples exist across various sources, including news and media outlets, adopting grammatically sound alternatives will enhance clarity and credibility in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

that was purchased for

Emphasizes the action of purchasing with a passive voice, improving grammatical correctness.

that was acquired for

Uses "acquired" as a more formal alternative to "bought", maintaining the passive voice.

which was intended for

Shifts the focus to the intended recipient or purpose, rather than the act of buying.

that they acquired and used for

Clarifies the action with emphasis on intended utilization.

which has been secured for

Highlights the securing or obtaining aspect rather than just the buying.

that has been procured for

Uses "procured" to suggest a more formal or complex acquisition process.

which they obtained for

Focuses on obtaining the item, suitable when the method is not necessarily a direct purchase.

that has been earmarked for

Indicates that something has been specifically designated for a purpose.

which serves the purpose of

Rephrases to emphasize the function or utility of what was acquired.

that contributes to

Highlights how the item supports or aids in a broader objective.

FAQs

What is a grammatically correct alternative to "which bought for"?

More appropriate alternatives include "which was bought for" or "that was purchased for", which provide clarity and proper grammatical structure.

How can I rephrase "which bought for" to emphasize the purpose of the purchase?

You can rephrase it to "which was intended for" to highlight the intended use or recipient of the item.

Is "which bought for" considered formal or informal?

Due to its grammatical issues, "which bought for" is generally unsuitable for both formal and informal contexts. Opt for clearer and more grammatically correct alternatives in all situations.

What's the difference between "which bought for" and "which they bought for"?

"Which they bought for" is grammatically sound because it includes the subject ("they") performing the action of buying. "Which bought for" is missing a subject, making it unclear and grammatically incorrect.