C'est un alliage de bronze.

Questions & Answers about C'est un alliage de bronze.

Why is it C'est and not Il est in this sentence?
You use c'est because it is followed by a modified noun (a noun with an article: un alliage). If you were just using an adjective to describe a previously mentioned subject, you would use il est (for example, il est lourd - it is heavy).
Why do we use de here instead of en for the material, like we do in une statue en bronze?
While en is typically used to say what an object is physically built from, here alliage de bronze acts as a fixed compound phrase classifying the exact type of alloy. Using de categorizes the concept, whereas en usually describes the physical makeup of a tangible object.
Is the double L in alliage pronounced like a Y or an L?
It is pronounced like a regular L, not a Y. Even though a double L often makes a Y sound in French (like in fille), the combination of A followed by a double L usually keeps the hard L sound, as in alliage or aller.

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