Elle est vs c'est

N. M.B2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Elle est vs c'est

In one of the answers to a test it says 

Est-ce ta trousse? - Oui, c'est la mienne.Is this your pencil case? - Yes, this is mine.
Going by this lesson here, would it be correct to say 
Est-ce ta trousse? - Oui, elle est la mienne.Is this your pencil case? - Yes, it is mine.
The difference being between THIS  and IT.

Asked 4 years ago
CécileNative French expert teacher in KwiziqCorrect answer

Hi Nigel,

Just to add to Chris' excellent answer, you cannot say in French -

Elle  ( or Il ) est ma 

Elle ( or Il ) est la 

you have to say -

C'est ma trousse

C'est mon stylo

C'est la mienne

C'est le mien

I have answered similar questions many times, so maybe a look at the Q & A attached to the lesson would be useful.

Bonne Continuation!

Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

This is how I would fashion my answers:

Est-ce ta trousse? -- Oui c'est la mienne.
Est-ce que cette trousse à toi? -- Oui, elle est à moi.

The first example ("Is this your pencil case?") has as subject "this". And the reply hence also uses the same subject (ce). In the second example, the subject is cette trousse. The resply therefore also refers to the pencil case using the appropriate personal pronoun elle.

Alan G.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

I think the problem here is that Nigel did read the Q&A, and found an (IMO) unhelpful answer that refers to the difference between "that" and "it".

CécileNative French expert teacher in Kwiziq

Hi Alan, 

If you point me to the unhelpful answer I may be able to remove it ...

Alan G.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

I meant Chris's answer to Jacob's question, but you marked it as correct ...

N. M. asked:

Elle est vs c'est

In one of the answers to a test it says 

Est-ce ta trousse? - Oui, c'est la mienne.Is this your pencil case? - Yes, this is mine.
Going by this lesson here, would it be correct to say 
Est-ce ta trousse? - Oui, elle est la mienne.Is this your pencil case? - Yes, it is mine.
The difference being between THIS  and IT.

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