he'd

He'd like to play soccer with his friends after school.

Definition

1. Contraction (verb phrase):
   • Short form of "he had": "he'd" is used as a contraction of "he had" when "had" functions as an auxiliary verb (e.g., in the past perfect tense).
   • Short form of "he would": "he'd" is also used as a contraction of "he would" (e.g., in conditional statements or polite requests).

Usage Examples

• As "he had" (past perfect):

  • He'd already eaten when I arrived. (He had already finished his meal before my arrival.)
  • If he'd known the truth, he would have told us. (If he had known the truth, he would have revealed it.)

• As "he would" (conditional or habitual):

  • He'd help you if he could. (He would assist you if it were possible.)
  • Every morning, he'd walk to the park. (He would habitually walk to the park each morning.)

Advanced Usage

• "he'd better": a common phrase meaning "he should" or "it is advisable that he" (contraction of "he had better").

  • He'd better finish his homework before dinner. (It is advisable that he completes his homework before the evening meal.)

• "he'd rather": meaning "he would prefer to".

  • He'd rather stay home than go to the party. (He would prefer to remain at home instead of attending the party.)

Variants and Related Words

• He'd've (informal contraction): short for "he would have" or "he had have".

  • He'd've come if he'd known. (He would have attended if he had been aware.)

• She'd (contraction): short for "she had" or "she would".

  • She'd already left when we called. (She had already departed when we telephoned.)

Synonyms

• He would: "he'd" can be replaced with "he would" in formal writing.
• He had: "he'd" can be replaced with "he had" in formal writing.

Related Idioms

• He'd give his right arm: an idiom meaning "he would make a great sacrifice or effort to obtain something".
  • He'd give his right arm to win that prize. (He would sacrifice greatly to achieve that award.)

Notes on Usage

• "he'd" is informal and common in spoken English and casual writing. Avoid using it in very formal or academic texts.
• The context (the surrounding words) determines whether "he'd" means "he had" or "he would". For example, a past participle after "he'd" (e.g., "he'd gone") indicates "he had"; a base verb after "he'd" (e.g., "he'd go") indicates "he would".