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i.e. vs. e.g.

© Barb Alexander

In an attempt to sound more formal, writers tend to use i.e. or e.g. when giving examples. There is a difference between them; they are not interchangeable.

When and How to Use "e.g."

The abbreviation e.g. stands for the Latin exempli gratia, (meaning "for example"). It is followed by one or more examples. Perhaps a better way to remember this one is to think of these letters standing for "example given". Keep in mind that using "e.g." does not indicate that the list given is a complete one.

Examples of proper usage:

• "We'll be happy to have you join us for a Thanksgiving feast, e.g., turkey, cranberry sauce, wilted spinach salad."
• "The family has lots of activities planned for after the meal, e.g., touch football, television viewing, and power napping. These are always popular activities for a Thanksgiving night at the Smith residence."

When and How to Use "i.e."

The abbreviation i.e. stands for the Latin id est, which means "that is." It is followed by an explanation. If you're not sure if you should use "i.e.", replace it with in other words and see if your sentence retains the original meaning. If it does, "i.e." is the correct abbreviation in that case.

Examples of proper usage:

• "That great American holiday, i.e., Thanksgiving, is almost upon us.
• Enjoy your roast turkey, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, and homemade gravy on November 23rd, i.e., Thanksgiving."

Using "e.g." or "i.e." in a Sentence

• Use a period after each letter. They are abbreviations.
• Either abbreviation can be used to begin a sentence; remember to follow with a comma.
• Either abbreviation can be used in a parenthetical statement; again, remember to follow with a comma.
• If using within the sentence, and not at the beginning or in parentheses, always precede and follow with a comma.

In a casual setting, you can just say "for example" and "that is" instead. After all, throwing around bits and pieces from a dead language in relaxed conversation can sound pretentious. But it can't hurt to know the difference between this oft-confused pair, especially if you use examples and rewordings often in your writing.

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