The abbreviations ie and eg are often misused, with many writers confusing their meanings. Ie means “which is” or “in other words,” while eg means “for example.” It’s important to use them correctly to avoid confusion. Writers can avoid using them altogether by using clear, understandable English.
The differences between ie and eg are more significant than many think, and misuse of the two abbreviations is common. Both are abbreviations of Latin terms. The first, that is, is the abbreviation of id est, which is transliterated as “which is” or “in other words”. The second, for example, stands for exempli gratia, which means “for example’s sake” but is often translated as “for example.”
One would expect to see ie used to clarify or put into other words something previously stated. The following is the correct use of ie: “His heart sank when the ship disappeared into the water; that is, she was devastated.” Some writers might use eg by mistake here, or even use the incorrect abbreviations ig or ei
Of course, writers can avoid using either abbreviation entirely by substituting “in other words,” eg In this example, a person might write “His heart sank as the ship disappeared into the water. In other words, she was devastated.” Since people are likely to confuse ie and eg, it might be wise to make a simpler statement.
When a writer wants to make a list of several examples to increase reader understanding, he should use e.g. For example, one might write: “He only likes bat games; for example cricket, softball and baseball.” Again this could be simplified by writing “He only likes games played with a bat, such as cricket, softball and baseball”.
People often get confused because they assume it means listing examples, but it’s not. The statement: “He only likes games played with a club; that is, cricket, softball and baseball,” is incorrect.
Occasionally, this confusion occurs because a writer wants to appear educated, and referring to Latin terms like ie and eg can make him appear smarter. This is a common mistake made especially by young writers; eg. college, middle and high school freshmen. Misuse obviously creates the opposite of polite sentiment; that is, the instructors may think the writer is not very intelligent.
Instead of poring through the dictionary for extremely impressive Latin words or phrases, the general standard in writing is clear, understandable English. Points should be made without excess vocabulary. Furthermore, it is always better for a writer to use words that he can clearly define than to delve into words that he thinks he knows the meaning of to impress his reader.
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