they'd
- 1Contraction of 'they would,' used for hypothetical, conditional, or reported statements about a group of people.
In a fairer system, they'd share the profits equally among the workers.
The neighbors promised they'd water the plants while we were away.
Note
Would covers more than the hypothetical. It also marks repeated past habit, close to "used to". Dave Caldwell's 2007 New York Times piece quotes a resident: "Each time they'd build, they'd try to outbuild all the rest of them." The phrase each time sets up the habit. The bare verbs build and try show this is would rather than the past-perfect "had" form.
- 2Contraction of 'they had,' used as the auxiliary in past perfect statements describing events completed before a later point.
She realized they'd been waiting outside for nearly an hour.
By noon the crew confirmed they'd repaired the broken pipe.
Note
The past-perfect reading shares its spelling with the "would" contraction, and the next verb tells you which one you have. A past participle means had: they'd gone, they'd been waiting, they'd repaired the pipe. A bare verb means would: they'd go, they'd wait. When the 'd is hard to hear in speech, check the verb form that follows.
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