I.e. vs. E.g.

Have you seen i.e. and e.g. in writing and wondered what they actually mean? These short forms make your writing clearer, but only if you use the right one.

What do i.e. and e.g. mean?

Both come from Latin:

• E.g. stands for exempli gratia, which means for example.
• I.e. stands for id est, which means that is or in other words.

You don’t need to remember the Latin, just what each one is used for.

E.g.

E.g. is used to give one or more examples.

• You should eat more veggies, e.g., broccoli, spinach, and carrots.
• I love creative hobbies, e.g., painting and songwriting.
• We use apps that help with focus, e.g., Notion or Forest.

Use e.g. when you want to give a few possible examples, not a complete list.

I.e.

I.e. is used to explain or rephrase what you just said in a clearer way.

• He’s a polyglot, i.e., someone who speaks several languages.
• Let’s meet in the usual place, i.e., the café near school.
• I work remotely, i.e., I don’t go to an office.

Use i.e. when you want to explain exactly what you mean.