If 'be' follows the contraction it is definitely "would". Once you learn what words always follow "would" then the contraction is clearer. Answer from Rasikko on reddit.com
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Grammarly
grammarly.com › blog › grammar › contractions
What Are Contractions in Writing? Definition and Examples | Grammarly
August 10, 2022 - Contractions are a kind of abbreviation that combines two or more words by removing certain letters and usually adding an apostrophe. Only certain words can be contracted: typically small and common words (not, is/are), especially pronouns (I, he/she/it, they), and modal verbs (can, will, might, must, should, would, could).
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Scribbr
scribbr.com › home › contractions (grammar) | definition & examples
Contractions (Grammar) | Definition & Examples
May 2, 2025 - For example, “she’d” can mean “she had” or “she would.” The correct meaning is usually clear from the context of the sentence. A negative contraction is a negative verb construction that ends in “-n’t” (e.g., “he would not join us” becomes “he wouldn’t join us”).
People also ask

What is the difference between an abbreviation and a contraction?
Abbreviations and contractions are both used to shorten a word, but in different ways. · An abbreviation is formed using the initial letters (or sometimes other parts) of a longer word or phrase to represent the whole. Common examples include “Mr.” for “Mister,” “Dr.” for “Doctor,” and “NASA” for “National Aeronautics and Space Administration.” They are used in formal writing as well as everyday conversations. · A contraction, on the other hand, is formed by combining two words and omitting one or more letters. The deleted letters are replaced with an apostrophe (e.g., “cannot” becomes “can’t”
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scribbr.com
scribbr.com › home › contractions (grammar) | definition & examples
Contractions (Grammar) | Definition & Examples
What is the difference between a contraction and a portmanteau?
Contractions and portmanteaus are similar in that they are both formed by combining two words and omitting some letters. However, there is a difference between them: · Contractions usually combine two words that are often used together (e.g., “do not” becomes “don’t”). A contraction has the same meaning as its uncontracted form. · A portmanteau is formed by blending two words together to create a new word with a different meaning. For example, “brunch” is a combination of “breakfast” and “lunch.” This is also called a neologism.
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scribbr.com
scribbr.com › home › contractions (grammar) | definition & examples
Contractions (Grammar) | Definition & Examples
What are contractions (words)?
Contractions are short words that are made by combining two words. This is often done by deleting certain letters and replacing them with an apostrophe (e.g., “do not” becomes “don’t”). · Although contractions are common in everyday speech, they should generally be avoided in formal or academic writing. However, there are exceptions (e.g., when writing dialogue in a story or directly quoting an author who uses contractions in your paper). · A good rule of thumb is to consider your audience and the intended effect of your writing when deciding whether to use contractions.
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scribbr.com
scribbr.com › home › contractions (grammar) | definition & examples
Contractions (Grammar) | Definition & Examples
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/englishlearning › how to know he'd is he had or he would?
r/EnglishLearning on Reddit: how to know he'd is he had or he would?
September 17, 2021 - Would is a modal/auxiliary verb and is always followed by the infinitive form of a verb. So we know I'd go there = I would go there. I had go there doesn't make sense. I'd as a contraction of I had is used to form the past perfect tense (had + past participle).
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Quora
quora.com › Hed-is-a-contraction-of-he-would-Wouldve-is-a-contraction-of-would-have-Is-it-ok-to-write-hedve-as-a-contraction-of-he-would-have
'He'd' is a contraction of 'he would'. 'Would've' is a contraction of 'would have'. Is it ok to write 'he'd've' as a contraction of 'he would have'? - Quora
Answer (1 of 10): Thanks for the A2A, Barney. Yes, it is absolutely okay. I can see why people might think it looks a bit odd, with two apostrophes in quick succession, but it's perfectly right. In Jane Austen’s time they did this with contractions like “sha'n't” and “wo'n't,” but ...
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University of Nevada, Reno
unr.edu › university › writing & speaking center › writing & speaking resources › contractions
Contractions | University Writing & Speaking Center | University of Nevada, Reno
Wouldn’t = Would not · Couldn’t = Could not · Don’t = Do not · Isn’t = Is not · Wasn’t = Was not · Hasn’t = Has not · Contractions that drop the first two letters of the second word: Note: Words using “will” replace the “wi” with an apostrophe (‘). It’ll = It will · He’ll = He will ·
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San Jose State University
sjsu.edu › writingcenter › docs › handouts › Contractions.pdf pdf
San José State University Writing Center www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter
replacing any contractions with the groups of words they represent. 1. I can’t go with you because I’m busy that day. 2. It’s clear that the dog is frightened because he keeps placing his tail between his legs.
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Cambridge Dictionary
dictionary.cambridge.org › us › grammar › british-grammar › contractions
Contractions - English Grammar Today - Cambridge Dictionary
According to Actual and actually Approximations (around four o’clock) At all Else Hear that, see that However, whatever, whichever, whenever, wherever, whoever It’s time May as well and might as well More or less Of course Point of view ... Apostrophe (’) Apposition Contractions Contrasts Detached impersonal style Internet discourse and text messages It, this and that in paragraphs Paragraphs Punctuation Speech into writing Spelling Such as
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Gymglish
gymglish.com › homepage › online english lessons › grammar rules: learn and improve - gymglish › contractions: 'would' vs 'had'
Contractions: 'would' vs 'had': How and When to Use - Gymglish
Quick and simple lesson to help you understand grammar better. Test your English and learn even more with Gymglish. TEST YOUR ENGLISH Free trial and no commitment to buy · 4,7 on App Store, Play Store and Trustpilot More than 8 million learners worldwide · The auxiliary verbs would and had are both contracted to 'd.
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University of Sussex
sussex.ac.uk › informatics › punctuation › apostrophe › contractions
Contractions : The Apostrophe
Since I'm trying to make this document seem chatty rather than intimidating, I've been using a few contractions here and there, though not as many as I might have used. But I advise you not to use the more colloquial contractions like she'd've in your formal writing: these things, while perfectly normal in speech, are a little too informal for careful writing. Such contractions represent the most useful job the apostrophe does for us, since, without it, we would have no way of expressing in writing the difference between she'll and shell, he'll and hell, can't and cant, I'll and ill, we're and were, she'd and shed, we'll and well, and perhaps a few others.
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Cambridge Dictionary
dictionary.cambridge.org › us › dictionary › english › he-d
HE'D | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary
contraction of he had or he would: He’d (= He had) already spent all his money by the second day of the trip. He’d (= He would) be able to do it if he would just try. (Definition of he'd from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © ...
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WordReference
forum.wordreference.com › english only › english only
It'd = It would? [Contraction with 'would'] | WordReference Forums
January 12, 2017 - I would= I'd You would = You'd He would = He'd She would = She'd We would = We'd They would= They'd What about for the pronoun " it " ? The authors didn't give any examples for " it " in their grammar...
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EC English
ecenglish.com › learnenglish › lessons › contractions
Contractions | Learn English
Native speakers usually use contractions especially when speaking. We make contractions by connecting two or more words together. One or more letters are removed from the words when they are connected. ... There would → There'd → "There'd have been more people here if the party had been on the weekend."
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Encyclopedia Britannica
britannica.com › dictionary › he'd
He'd Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary
— used as a contraction of he had or he would · He thought he'd [=he had] better be leaving. He'd [=he would] have done the same thing himself. [+] more examples [-] hide examples [+] Example sentences [-] Hide examples · ASK THE EDITOR ...
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EnglishClub
englishclub.com › vocabulary › contractions-positive.php
Positive Contractions | Learn English
He'd like to go. (He would like to go.) He'd finished when I arrived. (He had finished when I arrived.) The contraction 's (= is or has) is not used only with pronouns.
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University of Hull Library
libguides.hull.ac.uk › writing › contractions
Contractions - Writing academically - Library at University of Hull
This page gives examples of common contractions and what to use instead. * It is a common misconception that the non-abbreviated form of could've and should've is 'could of' and 'should of'. Please note this is not the case and the full form uses the word 'have'. You would never dream of using ...
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Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Wikipedia:List_of_English_contractions
Wikipedia:List of English contractions - Wikipedia
This list is part of the internal Wikipedia Manual of Style. For encyclopedic information see English auxiliaries and contractions. This is a list of contractions used in the Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Abbreviations; these are to be avoided anywhere other than in direct quotations in encyclopedic ...
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Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Contraction_(grammar)
Contraction (grammar) - Wikipedia
3 weeks ago - In general, any monosyllabic word ending in e caduc (schwa) contracts if the following word begins with a vowel, h or y (as h is silent and absorbed by the sound of the succeeding vowel; y sounds like i). In addition to ce → c'- (demonstrative pronoun "that"), these words are que → qu'- (conjunction, relative pronoun, or interrogative pronoun "that"), ne → n'- ("not"), se → s'- ("himself", "herself", "itself", "oneself" before a verb), je → j'- ("I"), me → m'- ("me" before a verb), te → t'- (informal singular "you" before a verb), le or la → l'- ("the"; or "he", "she", "it" before a verb or after an imperative verb and before the word y or en), and de → d'- ("of"). Unlike with English contractions, however, those contractions are mandatory: one would never say (or write) *ce est or *que elle.