Common Mistakes with the Plural of Memorandum

If you write business emails, reports, or legal documents, you have likely used the word memorandum. The most common mistake people make with its plural is choosing between memorandums and memoranda. Both forms are correct, but they are used in different contexts. Memorandums is the standard English plural, suitable for most business writing and everyday communication. Memoranda is the original Latin plural, often found in formal legal, academic, or government writing. Choosing the wrong one can make your writing sound either too stiff or too casual for the situation.

Quick Answer

Use memorandums for general business emails, internal notes, and everyday writing. Use memoranda for formal legal documents, academic papers, or official government communications. Both are correct, but memorandums is more common in modern English.

Understanding the Two Plurals

The word memorandum comes from Latin, where it is a gerundive meaning “something to be remembered.” In Latin, the plural of words ending in -um is -a. That is why memoranda exists. However, English has naturalized many Latin words, and the regular English plural -s is now widely accepted.

Memorandums (Regular English Plural)

This is the form you should use in most situations. It follows the standard English rule of adding -s to make a noun plural. It sounds natural in emails, team chats, and internal company documents.

Memoranda (Latin Plural)

This form is reserved for very formal or traditional contexts. You will see it in legal briefs, court filings, academic journals, and official government reports. Using memoranda in a casual email to a colleague can sound pretentious.

Comparison Table: Memorandums vs. Memoranda

Natural Examples

Here are examples showing how each plural fits into real business situations.

Using “Memorandums”

• “I need to review the project memorandums before the client call.”
• “Could you forward the internal memorandums from last quarter?”
• “We keep all team memorandums in a shared folder.”
• “The manager sent out three memorandums about the new policy.”

Using “Memoranda”

• “The law firm submitted several memoranda to support their argument.”
• “All official memoranda from the board must be signed.”
• “The academic journal published the research memoranda.”
• “The government office issued two memoranda regarding the new regulation.”

Common Mistakes

Here are the most frequent errors learners and even native speakers make with the plural of memorandum.

Mistake 1: Using “Memorandums” in Very Formal Legal Writing

In a legal brief or a court filing, using memorandums can make you look less professional. Lawyers and judges expect memoranda in these contexts.

Incorrect: “The attorney filed several memorandums with the court.”
Correct: “The attorney filed several memoranda with the court.”

Mistake 2: Using “Memoranda” in Casual Emails

Writing memoranda in a quick email to a coworker can sound stiff and unnatural.

Incorrect: “Hey Sarah, can you check the memoranda from yesterday’s meeting?”
Correct: “Hey Sarah, can you check the memorandums from yesterday’s meeting?”

Mistake 3: Mixing Singular and Plural Forms

Some writers accidentally use a singular verb with a plural noun or vice versa.

Incorrect: “The memoranda is on your desk.” (singular verb with plural noun)
Correct: “The memoranda are on your desk.”

Incorrect: “The memorandums was approved.” (singular verb with plural noun)
Correct: “The memorandums were approved.”

Mistake 4: Using “Memorandum” as a Plural

Some people mistakenly use memorandum for both singular and plural.

Incorrect: “I have three memorandum to review.”
Correct: “I have three memorandums to review.”

Better Alternatives and When to Use Them

Sometimes, you can avoid the confusion altogether by using simpler synonyms. Here are some alternatives and the contexts where they work best.

For Internal Business Communication

• Note – “Please read the meeting notes.” (Casual and clear)
• Memo – “I sent a memo to the team.” (Short for memorandum, very common)
• Brief – “The project brief is attached.” (Good for short summaries)

For Formal or Legal Contexts

• Memoranda – Use when you need the traditional form.
• Legal brief – “The legal brief was submitted yesterday.” (More specific than memoranda)
• Official communication – “All official communications are archived.” (Clear and formal)

When to Use “Memorandums”

Use memorandums in any situation where you are writing to colleagues, clients, or partners in a business setting that is not strictly legal or academic. It is the safe, modern choice.

When to Use “Memoranda”

Use memoranda only when you are writing for a very formal audience that expects traditional Latin plurals. This includes law firms, courts, universities, and government agencies.

Formal vs. Informal Tone: A Closer Look

The choice between memorandums and memoranda is largely about tone. Understanding the nuance can help you sound appropriate in any situation.

Formal Tone (Use Memoranda)

Formal writing is characterized by precise vocabulary, traditional grammar, and a serious tone. In a formal email to a law partner or a government official, memoranda signals that you respect the conventions of the field.

Example: “Please find attached the memoranda concerning the merger agreement. All parties are requested to review the documents before the hearing.”

Informal Tone (Use Memorandums)

Informal writing is more direct and conversational. In a quick message to a coworker, memorandums feels natural and unpretentious.

Example: “Hey, I just sent the memorandums from the marketing meeting. Let me know if you have questions.”

Neutral Tone (Use Memorandums or Memos)

Most business writing falls into a neutral tone. Here, memorandums or the short form memos works perfectly.

Example: “The team will receive the project memorandums by Friday. Please review them before the Monday meeting.”

Mini Practice Section

Test your understanding with these four questions. Answers are below.

Question 1

Which sentence is correct for a formal legal document?

A. The court received three memorandums from the defense.
B. The court received three memoranda from the defense.

Question 2

Which sentence is correct for an internal company email?

A. Please review the memoranda from the HR meeting.
B. Please review the memorandums from the HR meeting.

Question 3

Fill in the blank: “All the _____ were signed by the director.” (Choose the best option for a neutral business report)

A. memorandum
B. memorandums
C. memoranda

Question 4

Which sentence has a subject-verb agreement error?

A. The memoranda is ready for review.
B. The memorandums are ready for review.
C. The memoranda are ready for review.

Answers

Answer 1: B. In a formal legal document, memoranda is the expected plural.
Answer 2: B. In an internal email, memorandums sounds natural and modern.
Answer 3: B. For a neutral business report, memorandums is the best choice.
Answer 4: A. Memoranda is plural, so it needs the plural verb are, not is.

FAQ: Common Questions About the Plural of Memorandum

1. Is “memorandums” grammatically incorrect?

No, memorandums is grammatically correct. It follows the standard English rule for forming plurals. Many dictionaries list it as the primary plural form. It is widely used in business and everyday writing.

2. Should I use “memoranda” in a business email?

Only if the email is very formal, such as a legal opinion or an official communication to a government body. For most business emails, memorandums or memos is a better choice.

3. What is the singular of “memoranda”?

The singular is memorandum. Be careful not to use memoranda as a singular noun. For example, “This memoranda is important” is incorrect. It should be “This memorandum is important.”

4. Can I use “memo” as a plural?

The plural of memo is memos. This is a common and acceptable short form. For example, “I sent three memos to the team.” It is less formal than memorandums and very common in business.

Final Advice for Learners

When you are unsure which plural to use, ask yourself two questions: Who is my audience? How formal is this document? If you are writing to colleagues or clients in a standard business setting, choose memorandums. If you are writing for a legal, academic, or government audience that expects traditional language, choose memoranda. When in doubt, memorandums is the safer, more modern choice for most situations.

For more help with confusing plurals, visit our Confusing Plurals section. You can also explore Common Plural Forms or Plural Spelling Rules for additional guidance. If you have questions, check our FAQ or contact us.