Il est vs. C;est

Question

One of the questions was to write in what would go before "chaud" in order to create the sentence, "It is hot." I wrote "Il est" because I'd learned in Rosetta Stone that with a simple adjective, you should use "Il est" and not "C''est". They used the example of "Il est dangereux de toucher un serpent." Is there something different in this sentence that makes the use of "Il est" more appropriate? Would love to get an answer.

Accepted Answer

Hi Joanne,
This topic causes so many problems for learners. I struggled with it for ever but now think I have a handle on it.
In your case it's a case of the general vs the particular (I'm supposing you're talking about the weather/climate), thus:. "C'est chaud" since you're talking about a generality
If you're talking about some thing specific (especially something previously mentioned (say la soupe)) then it would be "Elle est chaude".  
Hope this helps,
Tom

Answer

I don't know how you can find something so unacceptable without knowing what it is!

Answer

Tom's answer puzzles me. This Lawless lesson tells us when talking about the weather we must use "Il fait ... " not "C'est". It specifically says we cannot say "C'est chaud" when talking about the weather.

Talking about the weather in French - il fait + [adjectif] says:

ATTENTION:
You cannot say C'est chaud about the weather, but you can about something you touch or taste (like a cup of tea).