The ice cream melted before she ate it.

Meaning: The ice cream turned into liquid before she could eat it.

Choice of Words: Melted means to become liquid, typically due to heat. Before means happening or existing at an earlier time. Ate means to consume food.

Alternative Expressions

The ice cream melted before she could eat it.

Meaning: This means that the ice cream became liquid before she was able to put it in her mouth and chew it. It's like saying, The ice cream became liquid before she had the chance to eat it.

Choice of Words: Could is a modal verb that expresses ability or possibility. When you put it together with eat, "could eat" means that she was able to eat the ice cream. Before means something that happens earlier in time than something else. Melted means to change from a solid to a liquid state. When you put them together, "The ice cream melted before she could eat it" means that the ice cream became liquid before she was able to eat it.

The ice cream had melted before she got to eat it.

Meaning: This means that the ice cream had already become liquid before she was able to put it in her mouth and chew it. It's like saying, The ice cream was already liquid before she had the chance to eat it.

Choice of Words: Had is a past tense auxiliary verb that is used to form the past perfect tense. When you put it together with melted, "had melted" means that the ice cream had already become liquid. Before means something that happens earlier in time than something else. Got to eat means to have the opportunity to eat something. When you put them together, "The ice cream had melted before she got to eat it" means that the ice cream had already become liquid before she had the opportunity to eat it.

Related Expressions