So, according to Larry in Bakersfield, Calif. in a recent publication of Annie’s Mailbox, there is actually a difference between using “i.e.” and using “e.g.”. The two Latin abbreviations stand for “id est” which means “That is” which infers a complete list of what items answer the condition, and “exampli gratia” which means “for example” or “example given” and lists representative forms.
I did not know that. I assumed that they were interchangeable and have used them as such. Of course, I was using based on experience and I believe that many people are misusing these phrases. Am I wrong? Was I the only one out there that was using “i.e.” to mean for example?
I am the language lover and these are my thoughts.
LanguageLover's Weblog 
Scott Erb said,
August 20, 2009 at 3:19 pm
I learned that in graduate school after I used “e.g.” at a place I should have had “i.e.” Though when I use “i.e.” for “that is,” I don’t use it as a complete list. Rather, I tend to use it to better explain something. So I may not be using it completely right…if “that is” sounds better than “for example” I use i.e.