# Format examples

To introduce an example in a sentence, use the guidance in the following table. You can introduce
examples using *such as*, *for example*, or *like* in various ways.

| Guidance | Recommended | Not recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Introduce a short-to-medium-length example at the end of a sentence. For clarity, consider setting off the example using a comma, parentheses, or an em dash as appropriate. Avoid using a semicolon for this purpose. | Choose a strong encryption algorithm, such as AES-256. You can monitor various metrics for your managed database instances---for example, CPU utilization, storage capacity, and active connections. The API supports common image formats like PNG and JPEG. | Enter a name for the instance, for example, `my-instance-99`. Specify the region for deployment; for example, `us-central1`. Enter a name for the instance (for example, `my-instance-99`). |
| Introduce a short example in the middle of a sentence. Keep the example in the middle of a sentence relatively short and consider setting it off with dashes, commas, or parentheses as appropriate. | Enter a six-digit hex number (for example, `228B22`), and then click **OK**. The virtual machine (VM) requires an operating system, such as Ubuntu 22.04, to be installed. Some elements, like buttons and input fields, have default accessibility attributes. | Enter a six-digit hex number (for example, if you want the color forest green, enter `228B22`), and then click **OK**. |
| Introduce a longer example as a separate sentence. For a longer example, introduce it as a separate sentence using *for example* as an adverb in that sentence. | You can assign tags to your virtual machine instances to categorize them. For example, you could tag instances by environment with `env:prod` or `env:dev`. |   |