I do not know much French and shall await SraJMcGin with the definitive answer.
In the meantime, let me suggest this web site with rules for making the selection:
http://www.languageguide.org/francais/grammar/pronouns/cest_vs_il.html
Use C'est for the first one
C'est or Il est??
____est japonais. ____est etudiante. ____est un personne calme et sociable.
I don't know when to use which...can anybody explain? thanks.
Similar question...a or est?
Elle ____ un ami sympathique.
3 answers
Thank you for using the Jiskha Homework Help Forum. Let's look at your first question first! It doesn't seem to be a big difference between C'est and Il est. Here is as easy as I can make it:
Before a modified noun: C'est
C'est un garçon intelligent. = He is an intelligent boy.
Ce sont mes cousins. = They are my cousins.
BUT unmodified: Il est
Il est professeur. = He is a teacher.
In addition, other uses of C'est (ce / c' = it, he, she, this, that, they, these, those - used only with the verb être. Then "Ce" replaces "il, elle, ils, and elles" with the modified noun. (see above)
Before a proper noun. = C'est
Qui frappe? C'est André. = Who is knocking? It is Andres.
Quelle est cette ville? C'est Paris. = What (Which) city is that? That is Paris.
Before a pronoun: C'est
Qui parle? C'est moi. = Who is speaking? It is I (I'm the one).
C'est celui de mon père. = It is my father's.
Ce sont les miens. = They (These, Those) are mine.
Before a superlative: C'est
C'est le meilleur du monde. = It is the best in the world.
C'est le plus beau de la classe. = He is the most handsome in the class.
Hopefully that will clarify it for you.
Mme
Before a modified noun: C'est
C'est un garçon intelligent. = He is an intelligent boy.
Ce sont mes cousins. = They are my cousins.
BUT unmodified: Il est
Il est professeur. = He is a teacher.
In addition, other uses of C'est (ce / c' = it, he, she, this, that, they, these, those - used only with the verb être. Then "Ce" replaces "il, elle, ils, and elles" with the modified noun. (see above)
Before a proper noun. = C'est
Qui frappe? C'est André. = Who is knocking? It is Andres.
Quelle est cette ville? C'est Paris. = What (Which) city is that? That is Paris.
Before a pronoun: C'est
Qui parle? C'est moi. = Who is speaking? It is I (I'm the one).
C'est celui de mon père. = It is my father's.
Ce sont les miens. = They (These, Those) are mine.
Before a superlative: C'est
C'est le meilleur du monde. = It is the best in the world.
C'est le plus beau de la classe. = He is the most handsome in the class.
Hopefully that will clarify it for you.
Mme
Ijust read drwls' response and that website is excellent. You won't even need my response!
Mme
Mme