> - Some abbreviations are spelt creatively. The Latin 'id est' is
> usually abbreviated 'i.e.' without an intervening space, and for
good
> spacing you either need a comma right afterwards, or '@:'. Same
with
> 'e.g.'. Find lots of instances with:
> git grep '\<[Ii][. ]*e\.[^,@]'
>
> My personal preference is to use a comma when what follows is
long or
> grammatically a full sentence, and '@:' otherwise. (info texinfo
"Not
> Ending a Sentence").
Agreed.
Both "i.e." and "e.g." should always be followed by a comma. (The
previous sentence is not self-contradictory because in these
instances, the terms are quoted rather than used.) I am not able to
think of an example where this rule should not be applied, even though
on the internet it is commonly not followed. They should always be
preceded
by a comma when they do not start a sentence, an interjection, or a
parenthetical phrase. Likewise, "etc." should always be preceded by a
comma unless a sentence is constructed that starts with "etc."
