The house is to be sold in/for auction.
Which preposition is appropriate?
Is it in or for?
why?
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This graph may demonstration what phase is more commonly used nowadays and in the past: goo.gl/eEkwGT.– Damkerng T.Dec 5, 2015 at 9:25
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but what happens when those prepositions are applied in the OP's example sentence? :) Which would be correct?– UsernewDec 5, 2015 at 10:02
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1@Usernew - I would call "in auction" incorrect. The house is for sale at auction or up for auction are the standard phrases.– stangdonDec 5, 2015 at 12:39
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Thanks @stangdon but have a look at my answer, the last example from Wiki.– UsernewDec 5, 2015 at 12:51
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1@Usernew - Yes, but that's a different usage. The house was sold in the auction is not the same thing as The house is in auction.– stangdonDec 5, 2015 at 16:03
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2 Answers
The more common preposition to use would be "at," and "by," and "in."
If you are using the word "auction" as a verb:
The house is to be sold by auction.
else:
The house is to be sold at (an) auction.
The house was sold in the auction.
This is a list of the most expensive cars sold in auto auctions.1
For would be wrong in your context.
The house is to be sold for auction.
can mean that the house is being sold to fund an auction.
Have a look at the Ngram:
1. Wikipedia
I'm afraid none!
More common use is 'at'
The house is to be sold at auction.
More natural IMO would be..
The house is put up for auction
answered Dec 5, 2015 at 6:40
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3"Put up for auction" is fine, but "at auction" (without any article) sounds wrong to me. Dec 5, 2015 at 7:31
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I first thought of it but I again thought that the article rule for a noun does not depend on the clause it follows. Would you mind explaining why the former is fine and the latter isn't? @200_success– Maulik VDec 5, 2015 at 8:38
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You can put the article an or leave it out as the word auction is used either as a countable or uncountable noun.– KhanDec 5, 2015 at 15:36