On sale means available to buy, and in American English also reduced in price. People usually say it about goods in shops and about tickets: new phones go on sale, tickets are on sale. In the second meaning, something is sold for less than usual: these jeans are on sale.
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be on sale; go on sale + time (on Friday, next week); on sale in + shops/country; be on sale (US: at a lower price)
- Tickets for the summer festival go on sale on Friday at 10 a.m.
- The new phone will be on sale in Europe from March.
- I got these boots for half price because they were on sale.
What changed
First versionThe new album by my favourite band is already in sale.
RevisionThe new album by my favourite band is already on sale.
In sale isn't used: this expression always takes on. The preposition stays the same in every form: be on sale, go on sale, not on sale yet.
In British English, discounts are usually described with in the sale, with the article: I bought this coat in the sale. There, on sale without an article more often simply means available to buy.
Your turn
Tickets for the concert go ___ next Monday, so I've set an alarm for nine.
Show the answer
on sale — Becoming available to buy is go on sale: the tickets start selling on Monday. For sale is about something an owner has put up to sell, and it isn't used with go in this meaning.
Write about something you waited a long time to buy. Say what it was and when it went on sale.
I'd waited months for the new e-reader, and I ordered it the day it went on sale in April.
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