When to use i.e. and e.g.
It’s no shame to admit that you don’t know how to distinguish i.e. from e.g. or only use one of them (most probably the latter) because you are simply not sure how to use them correctly. Many people have the same problem or even think that they are – essentially – the same. After reading through this article though, you will be able to use i.e. and e.g. just perfectly and never mix them up again!
To know how and when to use those two snippets, one has to learn what they stand for. Then, we can look at how and why they are used in a sentence, and what their basic function is. Of course, there will be examples for each part.
Meaning
- i.e. is an abbreviation of Latin “id est”, which means “that is”.
- e.g. is the short form of the Latin term “examply gratia”, basically meaning “for example” in English.
This information should be enough to tell you that these abbreviations are indeed not the same.
Correct Usage
In both cases, the single letters are followed by a period, and both the expressions are most commonly followed by a comma. Furthermore, the usage of both i.e. and e.g. is frowned upon in more formal writings. In such cases, “that is” and “for example”/”for instance” are used instead. If a writer decides to use the abbreviations nonetheless, they should always in parentheses.
i.e.
The purpose of using i.e. is to make clear that the reader knows exactly what you are talking about. The abbreviation is used to identify, specify, clarify, or amplify what has been said.
An example:
Patting an angry dog is like attempting to jump over a cliff, i.e. a very dangerous thing to do.
e.g.
On the other hand, e.g. is used to give an example of what has been said. No further information is provided other than giving a list of possible components, choices, or else. However, the list is not finite, just listing possibilities but not all options available.
An example:
There are so many things we could do on the weekend, e.g. going to the mall or watch a movie.
Looking at the following sentence, the usage of either i.e. or e.g. could even change the meaning of the references:
Some of my friends (i.e., Marcus and Lisa) don’t want to go to the party tonight.
Some of my friends (e.g., Marcus and Lisa) don’t want to go to the party tonight.
In the first instance, the example with i.e., the only friends that do not want to attend the party are Marcus and Lisa, both being the only items of this finite list.
Looking at the second example, Marcus and Lisa are among the friends that do not want to go to the party, yet they may not be the only ones, e.g. denoting that this list is not finite and other friends could want to stay away as well.
Remember
Mixing up i.e. and e.g. could cause misunderstandings or completely change the meaning behind the items or people referred to. Thus, they should always be used correctly!
Remembering this is easy though. Think of it like this:
- i.e. = identify
- e.g. = example
Now, you shouldn’t make any mistakes anymore. If you’re still unsure though, you can always double-check your text with a program that tells you if you made a mistake.
