Common Grammatical Errors Should You Use i.e. or e.g.

Common Grammatical Errors Should You Use i.e. or e.g. Do you know whether to use i.e. or e.g. in a sentence? What’s the difference? Unless you have studied Latin or the intricacies of the English language, you might be surprised to learn that the abbreviations i.e. and e.g. mean different things.  Many people use them interchangeably – and they are not, in fact, interchangeable. The Meaning of i.e. and e.g. e.g. means â€Å"for example† and comes from the Latin exempli gratia; whereas i.e. means â€Å"that is† and comes from the Latin id est. Grammar Girl has some great tricks to remember these definitions, as recounted in her article, How to Remember the Difference Between I.e. and E.g. She suggests thinking of â€Å"egg† for e.g., as in â€Å"eggsample† or just remembering that it starts with an e for â€Å"example.† For i.e. she suggests thinking â€Å"in essence† or just remembering that it starts with i for â€Å"in other words.† Examples of When to Use i.e. or e.g. i.e. e.g. There are 7 colors in the rainbow, i.e., red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. (Use i.e. when you are stating a complete list that is equivalent to what comes before the i.e.) There are 7 colors in the rainbow, e.g., red, orange and yellow. (Use e.g. when you are giving examples of the thing that comes before the e.g.) Sweets are her Achilles’ heel, i.e., her weak spot. (Use i.e. when you are defining the first part of the sentence in another way.) Sweets are her Achilles’ heel, e.g., she eats a pint of ice cream if it’s in front of her. (Use e.g. when you are giving an example of the first part of the sentence.) The soldier went AWOL, i.e., Absent Without Official Leave. (Use i.e. when you are explaining the definition.) Acronyms are words where each letter stands for a word, e.g., AWOL which means â€Å"Absent Without Official Leave.† (Use e.g. when giving an example.) Should i.e. or e.g. Be Italicized? There are a few things that grammar gurus do not agree upon.  One is whether i.e. and e.g. need to be italicized, as most Latin abbreviations are.  Most agree, however, that because these abbreviations are so common there is no need to italicize them. [Note:  I am italicizing i.e. and e.g. in sentences such as this as an alternative to using quotation marks; in my examples they are not italicized.] Should i.e. or e.g. Be Capitalized? There is disagreement as well as to whether i.e. and e.g. can ever be capitalized, i.e., I.e. or E.g.  I would capitalize them if they started a sentence, but not everyone says that’s acceptable. Should There Be a Comma After the Second Period in i.e. and e.g.? Once again, there is no agreement on this point.  Most sources but not all recommend a comma; in British English a comma is less often used. Technicalities aside, I recommend that you take a moment to think the next time you write an e.g. or i.e. in a document. You’re more likely to say what you mean. Are you working on a writing project and have questions about how to use i.e. vs. e.g.?  I’m happy to answer. For more grammar tips from The Essay Expert, sign up for my Grammar Writing Tips e-list.

How to Build Meaningful Experiences With Content [PODCAST]

How to Build Meaningful Experiences With Content [PODCAST] People learn from and remember their experiences. When they’re good experiences, they’ll want to come back for more. If you want your audience to keep coming back to you, you’ll need to create valuable experiences for them. Today we’re talking to Carla Johnson, the brains behind Type A Communications and the author of Experiences: The 7th Era of Marketing. She will talk to us about how to create value with our content, how to manage change within your organization, and how to break the status quo. Information about Type A Communications and what Carla does there. She also talks about what it was like to co-write Experiences and some of the takeaways of the book. Carla’s best advice for marketers who want to create value for their audience. The differences between relationship-building and experience-creating, as well as why now is the right time to start focusing on creating experiences. Examples of brands that have gotten the experience-building down to a science, including Nike and Vail Resorts. Tips for making this new era of marketing something your company implements and succeeds with. Carla’s basic steps behind content creation management and her best advice for marketers who want to break through the status quo. Links: Type A Communications Experiences: The 7th Era of MarketingIf you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Carla: â€Å"With the sophistication of consumers and the social world in which we live, just having a relationship isn’t enough.† â€Å"People need to feel a little uncomfortable and understand that what has historically been safe is now perhaps the risky option.† â€Å"We have to start being able to look at brands and ideas and experiences that have nothing to do with our industry or with marketing. Dig deep and understand what has inspired you as a person.†