e.g. vs. i.e.

We will keep our grammar lesson short today, I have spent way too much time here on the blog and Mr. Manuscript is starting to complain. Not to mention the children, and the house, and the yard, and the…

So, here we go –

e.g. vs. i.e.

The  abbreviation e.g. comes from the Latin phrase exempli gratia meaning “for example.”  It is used before giving specific examples that support a claim.

Tsuchigari has overloaded her plate again, e.g., running a daily blog, writing a novel, and caring for two very busy children.

I am guilty of using it i.e. in place of e.g., but it is not the same!  The Latin phrase id est means “that is” and is used to help clarify a thought by adding a definition or saying it in a more common way.

Tsuchigari has overloaded her plate again, i.e., she is doing too much these days, because she has decided that she wants to become a published author

Do not make the common mistake of thinking that i.e. stands for “in example.”  That is a sure fire way to use it incorrectly.

Until tomorrow, happy writing!

<Click here to go to last week’s grammar lesson “Fear of the Semicolon”