That is, for example…

Two of the most useful and most common abbreviations have got to be “i.e.” and “e.g.” For this reason, it’s vital to know what they mean and how to use them. Helpful tip: they are NOT interchangeable.

Let’s start with “e.g.” It’s an abbreviation for the Latin term exempli gratia, which means “example given” or “for example.” If it isn’t obvious, it’s used to introduce one or more examples, as in the following:

A lot of languages (e.g., English, Spanish and Italian) gain their roots from Latin.

The abbreviation “i.e.” is short for the Latin id est, which means “that is.” It’s more or less used in the same way that you would use “in other words.” That is, it’s used to clarify that which preceded it. Here’s an example:

A lot of languages gain their roots from Latin (i.e., the languages use words and phrases from the Latin language.)

And e.g. and i.e. should both be lowercase, just like we have here. Most style guides recommend a period after each letter and a comma after the second period. There’s no need to put either abbreviation in italics.