Common Mistakes with the Plural of Medium

The word medium has two common plural forms: media and mediums. The correct choice depends entirely on the meaning. Use media when referring to communication channels (news media, social media) or artistic materials (paint, clay). Use mediums when referring to spiritualists (people who claim to communicate with spirits) or specific sizes (small, medium, large). The most frequent mistake is using mediums for communication contexts, which sounds unnatural in professional writing.

Quick Answer

• Media = plural of medium for communication, art, or science (e.g., “The media cover the story,” “Oil and watercolor are two media”).
• Mediums = plural of medium for spiritualists or sizes (e.g., “Three mediums held a séance,” “The store sells smalls, mediums, and larges”).
• Never write “mediums” when talking about news or social media in formal English.

Understanding the Two Plurals

English borrowed medium from Latin, where the plural was media. Over time, English speakers also created the regular plural mediums. Both are correct, but they serve different purposes. Knowing which one to use will make your writing sound natural and precise.

When to Use “Media”

Use media as the plural when medium means:

• A channel of communication (television, radio, newspapers, internet).
• An artistic material or technique (oil paint, charcoal, digital art).
• A scientific or technical environment (growth medium for bacteria, storage medium for data).

Formal tone: In academic, business, or news writing, media is the only acceptable plural for these meanings. Using mediums here would mark you as a non-native speaker or careless writer.

Informal tone: Even in casual conversation, native speakers say “social media” (not “social mediums”) and “art media” (not “art mediums”).

When to Use “Mediums”

Use mediums as the plural when medium means:

• A person who claims to communicate with the dead (spiritualist).
• A size between small and large (especially in clothing or food portions).

Email context: If you write to a client about ordering shirts, you might say, “We need 20 mediums and 10 larges.” This is perfectly natural.

Conversation context: “The two mediums disagreed about the spirit’s message.” Here, mediums is correct because it refers to people.

Comparison Table: Media vs. Mediums

Natural Examples

Read these sentences aloud to hear the difference:

• “The news media reported the election results.” (communication)
• “She works in multiple media, including photography and video.” (art)
• “The lab tested three culture media for the experiment.” (science)
• “Both mediums claimed to feel a presence in the room.” (spiritualists)
• “The store was out of mediums, so I bought a large.” (sizes)

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Using “Mediums” for Communication

Wrong: “Social mediums are changing how we interact.”
Right: “Social media are changing how we interact.”

Why it matters: In professional emails, reports, or presentations, “social mediums” sounds uneducated. Always use “social media” as the plural.

Mistake 2: Using “Media” for Spiritualists

Wrong: “The two media disagreed about the message.”
Right: “The two mediums disagreed about the message.”

Nuance: If you use “media” here, readers will think you mean news organizations, not spiritualists. This can cause confusion in conversation.

Mistake 3: Treating “Media” as Always Singular

Some writers treat “media” as a singular noun (e.g., “The media is biased”). While this is common in informal speech, careful writers use the plural verb: “The media are biased.” This is especially important in academic or formal writing.

Better: “The media are covering the story from multiple angles.”

Better Alternatives and When to Use Them

If you are unsure which plural to use, try these strategies:

• For communication: Use “media” or rephrase with “news outlets” or “channels.” Example: “The news outlets reported…” instead of “The medium reported…”
• For art: Use “media” or say “art forms” or “materials.” Example: “She works in several art forms.”
• For science: Use “media” or specify “culture media” or “storage media.”
• For spiritualists: Use “mediums” or say “psychics” or “spiritualists.”
• For sizes: Use “mediums” or simply say “size medium.” Example: “We need size medium shirts.”

When to use it: In formal emails, academic papers, or business reports, stick with “media” for communication and science. In casual conversation about sizes or spiritualists, “mediums” is fine.

Mini Practice: Test Your Understanding

Choose the correct plural for each sentence. Answers are below.

1. The news _____ (media / mediums) have a responsibility to report fairly.
2. She consulted three _____ (media / mediums) to contact her late grandfather.
3. The artist works in several _____ (media / mediums), including charcoal and pastel.
4. We ordered 50 smalls, 100 _____ (media / mediums), and 75 larges for the event.

Answers:

1. media (communication)
2. mediums (spiritualists)
3. media (art materials)
4. mediums (sizes)

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is “media” singular or plural?

Strictly, “media” is the plural of “medium.” In formal writing, use a plural verb: “The media are reporting.” In informal speech, many people say “the media is,” but careful writers avoid this.

2. Can I use “mediums” for art materials?

No. For art materials, the correct plural is “media.” Saying “oil and watercolor are two mediums” is a common error. Use “media” instead.

3. What about “multimedia”?

“Multimedia” is a singular noun that describes content using multiple forms (text, audio, video). It does not have a separate plural. You would say “multimedia is popular,” not “multimedias.”

4. How do I remember which plural to use?

Think of the meaning. If you mean news, art, or science, use “media.” If you mean a person or a size, use “mediums.” A simple trick: “media” for messages, “mediums” for mystics.

Final Note

Mastering the plural of medium will improve your writing clarity. Remember: media for communication, art, and science; mediums for spiritualists and sizes. Practice with the examples above, and you will avoid the most common mistakes. For more help with confusing plurals, explore our Confusing Plurals section. If you have questions, visit our FAQ page or contact us.