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To: Post Toasties
I get the two confused all the time. Recently, I stumbled across this little bit of information on the matter:

Wonder when to use i.e. and when to use e.g.? When you're listing examples, use e.g. It's short for exempli gratia, which means "for the sake of example" in Latin.

When you're explaining something, use i.e., which is short for id est, or "that is." I can never remember the Latin, so I cheat here. "In essence" starts with the same letters. If you can use "in essence" and still have your sentence make sense, use i.e. Otherwise, use e.g.

I like big dogs, e.g. St. Bernards, Golden Retrievers, and Bernese Mountain Dogs. I like Golden Retrievers and St. Bernards, i.e. big dogs.

45 posted on 08/11/2003 5:59:39 AM PDT by new cruelty
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To: new cruelty
When you're explaining something, use i.e., which is short for id est, or "that is." I can never remember the Latin, so I cheat here. "In essence" starts with the same letters.

Interesting... I've always remembered the meaning of e.g. by thinking of it as "example(s) given".

58 posted on 08/20/2003 12:28:25 PM PDT by Mackey
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