There is much confusion over these often misspelled words.
To be fair, I use "alot", a word that doesn't even exist,
a lot more often than I ought to; usually when I text.
a lot [uh lot]
noun
1. lot ( def 14 ) .
Often, lots. a great many or a great deal:
a lot of books; lots of money.
adverb
2. lot ( def 21 ) .
Often, lots. a great deal; greatly: Thanks a lot for the ride.
I care lots about my family.
Usage note: As a noun and adverb, a lot is frequently misspelled as alot.
al·lot [uh-lot]
verb (used with object), (al·lot·ted, al·lot·ting).
1. to divide or distribute by share or portion; distribute or parcel out;
apportion: to allot the available farmland among the settlers.
2. to appropriate for a special purpose: to allot money for a park.
3. to assign as a portion; set apart; dedicate.
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"Those who have seen little
wonder a lot."
-unknown author
A Lot and Allot Usage Cheat Sheet
| Word/Phrase | Meaning | When to Use |
| A lot | A large amount | When you want to describe an excessive quantity of something |
| Allot | To give or apportion something | When you want to indicate that something has been assigned or doled out |
| Alot | N/A | Never |
Examples:
A lot
He drank a lot of wine last night.
Her family has a lot of money.
I have been getting a lot of sleep lately.
Allot
They always allot a certain amount of
money for their family vacation.
I will allot you 30 minutes to watch TV.
Did your teacher allot days for each child
to bring home the class pet?
- Another helpful way to remember is to insert an adjective in between the two words, for example, a sizeable lot.
- Turn on your spellchecker, and you will see it underlines a lot.
- Remember the simple tip - it will always keep you correct in your spelling.
- Substitute "a lot" with formal words and phrases, such as "a great deal", "many", "much", "enormous quantities of" etc. If you are using a more formal writing style, "a lot" is considered to be informal (colloquial) and should be avoided in formal writing contexts.
- Learn a great deal of English grammar, and you'll be a great writer. Well, there is more to it, of course, but this is always a solid foundation that will help you to enjoy the language and all it has to offer a good writer.
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Also, if you're still unsure, a quiz is located here: http://www.grammar-monster.com/easily_confused/alot_a_lot_allot.htm. It's very short.
Sources:
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