French language Q&A Forum

Could anyone please tell me if there are any rules on if and when you can/cannot replace inanimate nouns with subject pronouns? I read the lesson c'est versus il est/elle est and thought you use c'est with nouns while il/elle est is used with adjectives. 

But I have encountered situations where the writer/speaker uses il/elle est with a noun.

For example, if you are referring to (or pointing at) "une lettre", can you say "Elle est une lettre"? Or can you only say "C'est une lettre."?

Or, if you are referring to "une conversation", can you say "Elle va bien" or can you only say "Ça va bien."? 

Thank you for any clarification. 

Bonjour,

I found this sentence on wordreference when I checked the word profondeur: 

Ce gouffre a trente mètres de profondeur.

Is it correct??

Merci

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Avez-vous une bonne Hachis Parmentier recette? Patrice

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