When to Use i.e. Instead of e.g.

Sometimes I regret that I didn’t take Latin in high school. But there was only one Latin teacher to choose from in our small school. Supposedly he was a monster, i.e., he was a brutal grader, with a bad temper and breath to match. Still, it would have been good to know the derivation of so many words used in modern languages, e.g., English, Italian and Spanish. If nothing else, I wouldn’t be second-guessing myself about misusing these small, but powerful “interrupting” words such as i.e. and e.g.

Here’s how I keep them straight.
I.e. stands for the Latin id est, or 'in other words,' and is used to introduce a word or phrase that restates what has been said previously.

If your portfolio has a high beta, (i.e., higher-than-average risk) then you can expect outsize performance during bull markets, and worse than average performance during bear markets.

E.g. means “for example.” (It stands for exempli gratia in Latin.) It is used the way you’d use 'for example,' coming before an item or a list of items.

The summer associates rotate through many departments (e.g., tax, audit, planning, payroll, bookkeeping and advisory services).

 

It may help to remember that both 'that is' and 'for example' work in English the same way as i.e. and e.g. Still not confident? Try substituting ‘that is’ for i.e., or ‘for example’ for e.g.; if your sentence still makes sense you’ve used the right one.

Punctuating i.e. and e.g.

Your AI or spellchecker will usually catch this, but make sure you have a period after each letter. It’s best to have a comma following the last letter. Without those punctuation symbols, it’s distracting to the reader and your software may try to fill in a more complete word such as “egg” or “leg” or “peg” if it just sees “eg” without punctuation.

Conclusion

I don’t love grammar and punctuation any more than you do. English is a devious language with more exceptions to the rule than the U.S. tax code. Just keep these simple tips in mind and you’ll be fine. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how well you know the numbers, without a solid command of the English language, you won’t be taken seriously. After all, You're an Elite Professional; Don't Sound Like a Jamoke

#grammar; #businesscommunication; #thoughtleadership