# e.g. vs. i.e. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 3, 2004, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-g-vs-i-e/277960 "2004-12-03T21:35:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![alterego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6bbea6/32.png) [@alterego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alterego)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-g-vs-i-e/277960/1 "2004-12-03T21:35:27Z")
Can you give me a quick rundown of the proper usage of these, and their full names in latin? I could Google it, but i’d prefer a human response on this one. ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-g-vs-i-e/277960/2 "2004-12-03T21:38:33Z")
e.g. is “exempli gratia” and means “for example” i.e. is “id est” and means “that is” ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-g-vs-i-e/277960/3 "2004-12-03T21:43:29Z")
There are many Latin abbreviations in common English usage (e.g. “pro bono”). I’m sure there will be simulposts to this thread, i.e. many people posting at once. If you said, “There are many Latin abbreviations in common English usage, \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ pro bono,” which phrase fits, “for example,” or “that is”? For example, which is why you use e.g. instead of i.e. Same with the second example. In short, just use e.g. if you’re giving examples, and use i.e. if you’re just clarifying. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-g-vs-i-e/277960/4 "2004-12-03T21:44:12Z")
i.e. (id est = that is) is used when defining the word or phrase you have just mentioned, e.g. (exempli gratia - for example) when giving examples of but not a completely inclusive definition of what you have just mentioned. Auto lights should be turned on at night, i.e., one-half hour after sunset. If you paint your house a weird color, e.g., turquoise, it may get some stares. or If you paint your house a weird color, e.g., turquoise, goldenrod, etc., it may get some stares. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-g-vs-i-e/277960/5 "2004-12-03T21:44:57Z")
Let’s say you are a fast car. e.g. you are a Ferrari, and your engine overheats. I was talking to some peusdo-athlete. i.e. A guy who plays golf on Sundays, and visits the driving range once a week. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-g-vs-i-e/277960/6 "2004-12-03T21:46:27Z")
> [@Garfield226](#): > > There are many Latin abbreviations in common English usage (e.g. “pro bono”). > > I’m sure there will be simulposts to this thread, i.e. many people posting at once. Just be sure to always use a comma after “i.e.” or “e.g.”. And no spaces between the characters. ---
**Author:** ![alterego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6bbea6/32.png) [@alterego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alterego)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-g-vs-i-e/277960/7 "2004-12-03T21:49:06Z")
Excellent. Is it proper grammer to use them inbetween commas and also at the start of a new sentence? ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-g-vs-i-e/277960/8 "2004-12-03T21:49:58Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > Let’s say you are a fast car. e.g. you are a Ferrari, and your engine overheats. > I was talking to some peusdo-athlete. i.e. A guy who plays golf on Sundays, and visits the driving range once a week. or more correctly: Let’s say you are a fast car, e.g., a Ferrari, and your engine overheats. I was talking to some peusdo-athlete, i.e., guy who plays golf on Sundays, and visits the driving range once a week. (I don’t mean to be a jerk, but this is one of those pet peeves!) ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-g-vs-i-e/277960/9 "2004-12-03T21:54:27Z")
> [@alterego](#): > > Excellent. Is it proper grammer to use them inbetween commas and also at the start of a new sentence? Yes, in between commas, but not at the start of a sentence. Remember, they are used as a phrase following something you are clarifying, so they will always be somwhere later in the sentence. OK: “Some people’s habits bother me. For example, when they tailgate in traffic.” Not OK: “Some people’s habits bother me. E.g., when they tailgate in traffic.” (although very informally spoken, that could be fun 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![jgroub](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b77776/32.png) [@jgroub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jgroub)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2004, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-g-vs-i-e/277960/10 "2004-12-03T21:54:53Z")
As I understand, here’s how you use them. e.g. is for when you want to provide an example of what you’re talking about. E.g.: Some of the greatest baseball players of all time (e.g., Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb) are dead. i.e. is for when you are identifying the thing you’re talking about. E.g.: The most populated country in the world (i.e., China) is very large. I’m sure someone can come up with better examples than I have, but I’m at work. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2004, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-g-vs-i-e/277960/11 "2004-12-04T00:20:33Z")
Personally, I’ve always thought that people who stick Latin abbreviations in an English document are _pompous idiots_. If you’re writing in English, stay in English. It hardly takes any more characters to write “for example” rather than “e. g.”, and you can be sure to be understood. So IMHO, the “proper usage” of these is _not at all_! ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2004, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-g-vs-i-e/277960/12 "2004-12-04T00:29:24Z")
Here’s how I remember them, and it’s close enough: e.g. means " **e** xample **g** iven. i.e. means " **i** n **e** xplanation. I never write them, myself. I prefer to write in English (or as close as we Yanks can get.) However, other people use them, so I have to remember what they mean. ---
**Author:** ![alterego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6bbea6/32.png) [@alterego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alterego)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2004, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-g-vs-i-e/277960/13 "2004-12-04T00:38:11Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Personally, I’ve always thought that people who stick Latin abbreviations in an English document are _pompous idiots_. > > If you’re writing in English, stay in English. > > It hardly takes any more characters to write “for example” rather than “e. g.”, and you can be sure to be understood. > > So IMHO, the “proper usage” of these is _not at all_! That’s an interesting perspective. I don’t use them often myself, but see them _everywhere_! ---
**Author:** ![whole\_bean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@whole\_bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whole_bean)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2004, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-g-vs-i-e/277960/14 "2004-12-04T00:44:47Z")
I’ve always thought it best use them in parentheticals. After all they tend to be parenthetical thoughts (i.e. extraneous). I am probably wrong. I just don’t think the parenthetical gets enough playing time. ---
**Author:** ![whole\_bean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@whole\_bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whole_bean)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2004, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-g-vs-i-e/277960/15 "2004-12-04T00:46:26Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Personally, I’ve always thought that people who stick Latin abbreviations in an English document are _pompous idiots_. > > If you’re writing in English, stay in English. > > It hardly takes any more characters to write “for example” rather than “e. g.”, and you can be sure to be understood. > > So IMHO, the “proper usage” of these is _not at all_! eh . . . only a little ironic that we stay away from abreviations like “e.g.” IYHO? ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2004, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-g-vs-i-e/277960/16 "2004-12-04T01:50:58Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Personally, I’ve always thought that people who stick Latin abbreviations in an English document are _pompous idiots_. If you’re writing in English, stay in English. They _are_ English. They may come from Latin roots, but so do many other English words. It’s all part of English now. Besides, what are we supposed to use in place of AM, PM and AD? ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2004, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-g-vs-i-e/277960/17 "2004-12-04T03:03:51Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Just be sure to always use a comma after “i.e.” or “e.g.”. And no spaces between the characters. And remember that some folks think it’s all right to split infinitives always or at least sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2004, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-g-vs-i-e/277960/18 "2004-12-04T03:19:37Z")
Another point, when read aloud, unabbreviate and translate them, e.g.: Given this sentence: > [@](#): > > My car, i.e., “the green hornet,” is in the shop. one should not say aloud > [@](#): > > My car, EYE EE, “the green hornet,” is in the shop. but, > [@](#): > > My car, THAT IS, “the green hornet,” is in the shop. Peace. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2004, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-g-vs-i-e/277960/19 "2004-12-04T04:35:10Z")
[nitpick] _Pro bono_ is not an abbreviation. [/nitpick] ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2004, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-g-vs-i-e/277960/20 "2004-12-04T04:55:40Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > or more correctly: > > Let’s say you are a fast car, e.g., a Ferrari, and your engine overheats. > > I was talking to some peusdo-athlete, i.e., guy who plays golf on Sundays, and visits the driving range once a week. > > (I don’t mean to be a jerk, but this is one of those pet peeves!) Thank you. I’ve been meaning to ask about the use of commas when using those terms for a while now but kept forgetting. The periods kept throwing me off. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-g-vs-i-e/277960.md?page=2)