They's (They'd) already read his biography

"They's" is a nonstandard typo. The correct contraction is "they'd," which stands for either "they had" (completed action before another past moment) or "they would" (conditional or future-in-the-past).

Below are concise rules, quick tests, many wrong/right pairs, rewrite templates, and realistic work, school, and casual examples you can copy.

Quick answer

"They's" is incorrect. Use "they'd," then decide whether it expands to "they had" or "they would."

"They'd already left." = "They had already left." (past perfect)
"They'd go if they could." = "They would go if they could." (conditional)
If you spot "they's," change it to "they'd" and expand both ways to see which fits.

Core grammar: the two meanings of they'd

"They'd" shortens either "they had" (with a past participle) or "they would" (with a base verb). Context - time markers and conditional words - determines which meaning is right.

Past perfect: they'd + past participle → they had + past participle. Markers: already, by then, before.
Conditional / future-in-the-past: they'd + base verb → they would + base verb. Markers: if, would, probably.
If meaning is unclear, write the full form for clarity.

Grammar checklist (quick repairs)

When you see "they's" or an unclear "they'd," follow these quick steps.

Step 1: Replace "they's" with "they'd."
Step 2: Expand to both options: "they had" and "they would."
Step 3: Choose the expansion that fits the time markers; if the sentence is complex, rewrite it in full.

Past-perfect template: "They had" + past participle. Example: "They had left by noon."
Conditional template: "They would" + base verb. Example: "They would come if invited."

Hyphenation and apostrophes

Contractions use an apostrophe to mark omitted letters; hyphens are not part of contractions. Use a single apostrophe in they'd. Avoid forms like "they-'d" or "they - d."

Correct: they'd
Wrong: they-'d, they - d, they-'d
Hyphens belong in compound modifiers (well-known), not in contractions.

Spacing and keyboard gotchas

Common slips: adding a space before the apostrophe (they 'd), typing the wrong letter (they's), or pasting text with mismatched quotation marks. Retyping the contraction usually fixes the issue.

Wrong: they 'd →
Right: they'd
Wrong: they's → Replace with they'd and expand to check meaning
Smart quotes (curly vs straight) won't change grammar but can trip some tools; keep punctuation consistent.

Examples: wrong → right pairs and contextual samples

First the direct wrong/right fixes, then real-context samples for work, school, and casual writing. Copy the right-hand sentences as templates.

Wrong: They's already left the office. →
Right: They'd already left the office. (they had)
Wrong: They's finished the report by yesterday. →
Right: They'd finished the report by yesterday. (they had)
Wrong: If they's known about the change, they'd have told us. →
Right: If they'd known about the change, they'd have told us. (they had)
Wrong: They's probably arrive after lunch. →
Right: They'd probably arrive after lunch. (they would)
Wrong: I wish they's been able to come. →
Right: I wish they'd been able to come. (they had)
Wrong: They's go if they had time. →
Right: They'd go if they had time. (they would)

Work

Formal: They had completed the audit before the board meeting.
Email: They'd submitted the budget before the review started.
Quick note: If they'd approved the mockups earlier, production could have started today.

School

Essay: They had researched three primary sources for this claim.
Lab report: They'd completed the trial runs before recording final data.
Group message: They'd studied for weeks, so the test felt easier.

Casual

Text: I thought they'd be at the party, but nobody saw them.
Chat: They'd probably rather stay home tonight.
Social: They'd have loved that little concert on the corner.

Rewrite template 1: "They's already seen it." → "They'd already seen it." → "They had already seen it."
Rewrite template 2: "They's coming if they can." → "They'd come if they could." → Or "They'll come if they can" (use will for definite future).
Rewrite template 3: "They's take the shift." → "They'd take the shift" (conditional) or "They'll take the shift" (definite future).

Try your own sentence

Test the whole sentence, not just the phrase. Context usually makes the correct expansion obvious.

How to fix a sentence (step-by-step with examples)

Use this three-step repair whenever you spot "they's" or a confusing contraction.

Replace "they's" with "they'd."
Expand both ways: "they had" / "they would."
Pick the expansion that fits; rewrite fully if the sentence has multiple clauses.

Live fix 1: "They's missed the deadline." → "They'd missed the deadline." → "They had missed the deadline."
Live fix 2: "If they's told us earlier, we'd planned differently." → "If they'd told us earlier, we'd have planned differently."
Live fix 3: "They's be annoyed if we cancel." → "They'd be annoyed if we cancel." → "They would be annoyed if we cancel."

Real usage and tone: when to use they'd vs full forms

Use contractions for conversational writing, internal emails, blogs, and fiction. Use the full forms in formal essays, legal documents, or when chronology must be crystal clear.

Formal: prefer "they had" / "they would" for precision.
Conversational: "they'd" keeps tone natural and concise.
When multiple clauses or complex timing risk ambiguity, expand the contraction.

Memory trick and quick tests

Mnemonic: 'd = had/would. Their = possession. They're = they are.

Two quick tests before you send anything:

Expand test: they'd → they had / they would. If neither fits, try their/they're/they are instead.
Substitution test: replace "they" with "he" or "she." Would you use "he'd" or "he's"? That often reveals the intended word.

Similar mistakes to watch for

These errors often appear together. Use the same expand-and-substitute method to fix them.

Their (possession) vs they're (they are) vs they'd (had/would).
Nonstandard contractions like "we's" or awkward stacked contractions like "they'd've" - avoid them in formal writing.
It's (it is/it has) vs its (possession) - test by expansion.

Wrong: They's book is on the desk. →
Right: Their book is on the desk.
Wrong: They'd've been here earlier. →
Right: They would have been here earlier.

FAQ

Is "they'd" correct or should I use "they had"?

"They'd" is a correct contraction for "they had" or "they would." Use the full form in formal writing or when you need to avoid ambiguity.

Why do people type "they's" instead of "they'd"?

Usually it's a typo (nearby keys) or a misunderstanding of apostrophes. Auto-corrects and nonstandard keyboards can also introduce the error.

How do I know whether "they'd" means had or would?

Expand it both ways. Time markers like already, by then, or before point to "had." Conditional markers like if, would, or probably point to "would."

Can I use "they'd" in an academic essay?

Prefer expanded forms in academic and legal writing for precision. Use "they'd" only if contractions are acceptable in your assignment or publisher's style.

Is "they'd've" acceptable?

"They'd've" represents spoken "they would have." It reads awkwardly in writing; prefer "they would have."

Need a quick check?

Before sending, expand the contraction and read both versions aloud. For a fast second opinion, paste the sentence into a grammar checker to flag nonstandard forms like "they's." A ten-second check avoids embarrassing typos.