I.E. vs. E.G.
Since we delved into the murky waters of prepositional phrases and restrictive clauses last week, I thought it was time for a calm grammar tip: I.E. versus E.G.
Oh, those things—interchangeable!
Um, no.
Diving for our Latin books (because who doesn't have one on their coffee table, right?), we discover that i.e.means id est and e.g. means exempli gratia.1 Fancy, eh?
The easy way to remember the difference, though, is to think of i.e. as “in essence” and e.g. as “for example.”
Clarity is the majestic Bigfoot of grammar explanations!
While you’re debating i.e. versus e.g., look at the words to follow. If your statement is included for further clarification, or illustration of your main idea (like a metaphor), then you need i.e.
River Tam tells us that Serenity is a “Midbulk transport, standard radion-accelerator core, classcode 03-K64, Firefly" (i.e., it’s an older spaceship carrying cargo and a nine person crew).
I’d travel cross-country to go to Wig and Pen in Iowa City for pizza, i.e. the best Chicago style pizza in the Verse!
Lions, tigers, and bears…
If you’re listing examples (which comprise only a small sampling of all possible examples), then use e.g.
I love sci-fi TV shows, e.g., Firefly, Doctor Who, and Forever.
The Brontës often incorporated the moorlands into their literary works (e.g., Wuthering Heights).
How shall I punctuate this fabulous find?
Always put a period after each letter: I.E. and E.G.
You’ll notice I used examples of i.e. and e.g. with and without parentheses. Both abbreviations can use either parentheses or commas to separate them from the main part of the sentence. Both ways are correct.
If you’re using commas, you must place a comma both before and after the abbreviations:
When using parentheses, put a comma after the abbreviation:
It is important to note, as well, that you do not italicize i.e. and e.g. when using them in a sentence. (I realize I have them italicized here, but this is to remain consistent with how I format examples in my grammar tips. In regular usage, they are never italicized.)
1 Mignon Fogarty, “I.e. Versus E.g.,” Quick and Dirty Tips, May 19, 2011, accessed April 15, 2015,http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/ie-versus-eg.
Fun with I.E. and E.G.:
The Oatmeal: When to Use i.e. in a sentence:
Comments
Post a Comment