Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Distinguishing between i.e. and e.g.
• Part 2 of 3: Knowing when to use i.e. or e.g.
• Part 3 of 3: Formatting and checking i.e. and e.g.
• Tips

The abbreviations "i.e." and "e.g." are widely used in English, but you will also come across them more and more in Dutch. Often these abbreviations are used interchangeably because people don't know what they stand for. This article will help you use these abbreviations correctly in English.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Distinguishing between i.e. and e.g.

1. The abbreviations. The abbreviation "i.e." comes from Latin and stands for id est, which means "that is" or "that is". "e.g." is an abbreviation of the Latin words exempli gratia, which means something like "an example".
2. Associate each abbreviation with phrases that are easier to remember. It may be difficult to remember Latin words, so pretend "i.e." stands for "in essence" or "in other words" and that "e.g." stands for "example given".
3. Use other reminders. If you still can't remember the abbreviations, try more creative solutions, such as i.e. and "I explain" or e.g. and "egg sample" (which sounds like "example").
   • You can also try to memorize it using a bizarre example sentence using the correct abbreviation, such as “The best way to drive unicorns out of your neighborhood is to play them loud Baroque classical music (ie, complicated classical music composed between 1600-). 1750). ”

Part 2 of 3: Knowing when to use i.e. or e.g.

1. Use "i.e."to paraphrase. Post a statement and then add "i.e." with an explanation of what you just said:
   • The elephant is a pachyderm, i.e., an animal with thick skin and nails resembling hooves.
   • I went to my least favorite place (i.e., the dentist).
   • Note that it follows after "i.e." is often still a definition. This can also be a metaphor. If you say "i.e." replace with "in other words", the sentence is still correct. If you use "for example" then this is not the case.
2. Use "e.g."before giving you an example. Consider that what is "e.g." comes as a category, and what follows as part of that category (but not everything within that category):
   • Buy some vegetables, e.g., carrots.
   • I like power metal (e.g., Firewind, Iced Earth, Sonata Arctica).
   • Check whether the use of the abbreviation "i.e." does not fit within the previous examples. "Carrots" isn't another way of describing vegetables, but it just is a vegetable. If you say "i.e." would use the sentence like "Buy some vegetables, i.e., the edible part of any plant." Likewise with the bands, where "i.e." in the sentence could read as follows: "I like power metal, i.e., fast metal with symphonic elements and epic themes."
3. Use e.g. and i.e. in brief comments. It is common practice to use the abbreviations e.g. and i.e. when there is a comment in parentheses, such as a clarification or explanation. However, if the clarification or explanation is part of the main sentence, write the abbreviation in full.
   • For example, if you are writing a thesis and want to give some examples of sources that support a particular point, use e.g .: "Some studies (e.g., Smith, 2015; Yao, 1999) support this assertion, while others - for example, Abdullah's (2013) research on pizza and topping choice - disagree."
   • Use i.e. for a short explanation and a phrase for a longer clarification or further explanation: "In our research we altered the order of image display (i.e., first, second, or third) as well as their color scheme, that is, whether we had applied a blue or green filter."
4. Consider your audience. Considerable confusion remains around the use of i.e. and e.g., even among highly educated readers. If you feel that your readers may not understand what an abbreviation means, just use a clear indication.

Part 3 of 3: Formatting and checking i.e. and e.g.

1. Only use italics when specifically instructed to do so. It is common for English speakers to find Latin words / phrases in italics in a text, such as in medias res (“In the middle of things”) or in loco parentis (“In the place of a parent”). However, Latin words that are common in everyday language are usually not in italics - such as i.e. and e.g.
2. Use parentheses or commas with both. To indicate a separate clause, you can either insert a comma before "i.e." or "e.g." or use parentheses, as indicated in the examples. If you use parentheses, open them directly before "e.g." or "i.e." and close them after giving an example or alternative definition.
   • You post in the American English language always a comma immediately after "i.e." and "e.g." as indicated in the examples above. In British English, do not place a comma after the abbreviations.
3. Determine the style requirements. If you are only writing for yourself or in some other informal situation, there are no specific requirements, but that is different in the case of an academic piece of text or text intended for publication (as in journalism). You will have to comply with a prescribed style.
   • For example, the APA style. This is the official style of the American Psychological Association, and is widely used in the social sciences and journalism. APA states that you should always place a comma after e.g. and i.e. So, as follows: "Some sources (e.g., Janet, 2010; Jeff, 2015) argue that mushrooms are tasty" and “There are three meals in the day (i.e., breakfast, lunch, and dinner)”.
4. Make sure that what you are after i.e. writes means the same as what precedes the abbreviation. You must be able to exchange both without changing the meaning of the sentence.
   • The sentence “His favorite type of sandwich is an open-faced sandwich (i.e., one that uses only one piece of bread rather than two)” shows correct use of i.e..
   • The sentence "His favorite type of sandwich is an open-faced sandwich (i.e., a panini or similar type of sandwich)" shows incorrect usage, because "a panini or similar type of sandwich" is NOT equal to "an open-faced sandwich."
5. Try to replace the abbreviations with their meanings. If it still sounds good, then you are probably using the correct abbreviation. For instance, "I like quiet activities (e.g., reading)" is becoming "I like quiet activities (for example, reading)". In i.e., it is often easier to replace the abbreviation with "in other words" or "that is."

Tips

• There is no need to enter "etc." at the end of a list, followed by "e.g.", because "e.g." implies an incomplete list.
• You better not "i.e." or "e.g." use in parlance. Instead, use words like "that is" or "in other words" instead of "i.e." and "for example" or "for instance" instead of "e.g."
• A good example of the difference between "i.e." opposite "e.g." can be seen in the movie Get Shorty from 1995 (the dialogue between Chili Palmer (John Travolta) and Ray "Bones" Barboni (Dennis Farina)).
• If you are still not quite sure when to use which acronym, the easiest way to avoid it is to not use them at all, even while you are writing. If you mean "for example" then write "for example." When you mean "that is", write "that is." Then you know for sure that you have done it right.