Communications 12/19/2016

I.E. versus E.G. — Do You Know the Difference?

How can two little abbreviations cause so many problems? Professional and amateur writers alike often confuse these two Latin terms. So what do they mean, and how can you remember when to use which one?
Well, i.e. (the Latin id est) means “in other words” and e.g. (exempli gratia) means “for example.” When deciding which abbreviation to use, you need to know what you’re trying to say – providing clarification or listing examples. Here are two examples using the same sentence, each with different meanings:

  • “I like sports, i.e., football, hockey and soccer.” In this instance, I’m clarifying or restating, in other words, what I’ve already stated, so I’m using i.e. I’m saying “I only like football, hockey and soccer. Nothing else.” It’s a finite list.
  • “I like sports, e.g., football, hockey and soccer.” Here, I want to back up a statement with examples, so I’m using e.g. I’ve provided a list of examples I like, but this list is in no way complete. Just three examples among many.

Still unsure? Try this:

  • “I like decorating for the holidays, i.e., decorating a Christmas tree, hanging a strand of lights and putting up stockings.” These are the only decorations I enjoy during the holidays. Again, this is a finite list, so the correct abbreviation to use is i.e.
  • “I love listening to music when I write, e.g., Twenty One Pilots and Green Day.” These are just two bands I listen to when I’m writing. I really love all types of music so the list could be infinite.

If you’re really not sure which abbreviation to use, you can skip them and just use “in other words” or “for example.”

Now for some rules:

  • Don’t italicize i.e. and e.g.
  • Include a comma after i.e and e.g. (see examples above)
  • Use a comma, semicolon or em-dash to introduce the phrase, or place in parenthesis

Happy writing!

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