E.g. vs. i.e.
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- The correct title of this article is e.g. vs. i.e.. The initial letter is shown capitalized due to technical restrictions.
[edit] exempli gratia vs id est
Although commonly confused and misused in colloquial English, e.g. (exempli gratia) and i.e. (id est), both from Latin, are not equivalents.
Exempli gratia, which means "for example", is used before giving examples of something :
- I have lots of favorite colors, e.g., blue, green, and hot pink.
The latter, id est, means "that is" or "in other words", and is used before clarifying the meaning of something when elaborating, specifying, or explaining rather than when giving examples :
- I can't decide on just one favorite color, i.e., I have many favorite colors.
[edit] Usage
American style guides tend to recommend that "e.g." and "i.e." should generally be followed by a comma, just as "for example" and "that is" would be, while UK style tends to omit the comma.
