English help--When do you use 'the' and when do you not use it?

Question

For example, in the case of 'green apples appeared and eventually replaced the red apples'. should i use 'green apples appeared and eventually replaced red apples' instead?

Answer 1

If you had previously mentioned the red apples, use it to indicate that you are again referring to them. ("The" meaning "those previously mentioned.")

If you're speaking in general terms, don't use the.

Answer 2

As a general rule, if you can remove a word without making the meaning more difficult to understand, then remove the word. By doing this you shorten the sentence, making it easier to digest.

In your specific example, you should only put the word 'the' before 'red apples' if you have previously referred to the red apples, or want to add significance to the fact that they had been there before. Otherwise don't include it.

Answer 3

Yes, if you are not referring to some specific red apples! Generally, in english, the is used less than in other languages. For foreigners it is often tricky, I always check my texts after I write them and erase a few "the"s.

Answer 4

I would use the second phrase.

If you said where are apples, you just wanna find any apples.

If you said where are the apples, it could mean that as well, or where are my apples.