I.E. vs E.G

“i.e.” is the abbreviation of the Latin phrase “id est,” meaning ‘that is.”
“e.g.” is the abbreviation of the Latin phrase “exempli gratia,” meaning “for example.”

Use “i.e.” when you want to give further explanation for something.
Use “e.g.” when you want to give a few examples but not a complete list.

For example, “We’re meeting at Apocalypse Chow, i.e., the new restaurant downtown.”
For example, “When I have company, I like making a pitcher of summertime drinks, e.g., lemonade, iced-tea, and mint julips.”

There is no need to italicize “i.e.” and “e.g.” because these abbreviations have been around for so long. Similarly, “i.e.” and “e.g.” are lowercase when they come in the middle of a sentence. Most American style guides recommend following “i.e.” and “e.g.” with a comma and including the periods after each letter.

TIP: i.e. = think: “in essence”
e.g = think: “examples given”

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