I.E. versus E.G.

In honor of the third annual National Grammar Day celebrated on March 4, let’s take a look at “i.e.” versus “e.g.” I’ve seen even professional writers get this one wrong.

Let’s start with “i.e.” As I remember from my high school Latin classes, it stands for “id est,” which literally means “that is.” If you think of it as “that is” or “in other words,” you’ll be fine.

Now, “e.g.” is Latin for “exempli gratia,” or in plain English, “by way of example.” So, think of it as meaning “for example.”

So, they should be used in this way:

We should all strive for good grammar on this greatest of all holidays, i.e., National Grammar Day.
Content Strategy yields a number of deliverables, e.g., content audits, editorial styles guides and gap analyses.Note:

1. “i.e.” and “e.g.” are abbreviations, so don’t forget the period after each letter.
2. Use a comma after both “i.e.” and “e.g.”
3. Use a comma before both “i.e.” and “e.g.” (unless it is at the beginning of a sentence – and yes, it’s okay to begin a sentence with either “i.e.” or “e.g.”)