Meaning & use
contraction for he had
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
The short form he'd, used to mean 'he had' before a past participle.
Grammar: He'd can mean 'he had' or 'he would'. You know it means 'he had' when a past participle follows: he'd finished.
Patterns
- he'd + past participle
- he'd better
He'd finished his homework before dinner.
By the time we arrived, he'd already left.
She asked if he'd seen the movie.
Common combinations
- he'd already
- He'd already eaten when we got there.
- he'd never
- He'd never been to Japan before that trip.
- he'd just
- He'd just sat down when the phone rang.
- he'd better
- He'd better hurry if he wants to catch the train.
Word family
- he's phrase
- Contraction of 'he is' or 'he has'.
- he'll phrase
- Contraction of 'he will'.
- he would phrase
- Full form; the contraction he'd can also mean 'he would'.
Commonly confused: contraction for he had or he would?
contraction for he had vs he would
He'd can mean either 'he had' or 'he would'. Look at the word after it: a past participle (finished, gone) means 'he had'; a base verb (go, like) means 'he would'.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'he'd' to mean 'he had'?
Choose one answer.
In 'He'd finished', the past participle 'finished' shows that 'he'd' means 'he had'. The other options use 'he'd' to mean 'he would'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “contraction for he had”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.