A lot of times, people mistakenly write a lot as alot.
It is a bad mistake that shouldn’t happen.
The feeling I get when I see this mistake is that of personification – giving life to an inanimate object!
Literally, alot is dead and gone, don’t go giving it life, please.
I will explain some more in this article. Learn how to use a lot vs alot correctly.
What is the meaning of a lot vs a lot?
A lot is used as a pronoun meaning “many” or “a great quantity” and an adverb which means “very much” or “often.”
A lot is a phrase that means “often,” “very much,” or “a large number/amount.”
Alot which is a combination of a and lot is not listed in the dictionary and should not be used. Alot is sometimes mistakenly written instead of a lot. It isn’t a real word.
Always write the phrase as two words.
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How to use a lot in a sentence
A lot can be used as a pronoun meaning “many” or “a large amount.” It can also be used as an adverb meaning “often” or “very much.”
When you use a lot as a pronoun, the word should be followed by the preposition “of” and a noun indicating that there is a lot of something.
Bear in mind that a lot is considered as an informal phrase and should not be used for formal writings like academic works. You can replace it with more formal phrases like “a great deal” or “many” when necessary.
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Synonyms of a lot
Some common synonyms of a lot include these:
- plenty
- numerous
- a bunch
- ample
- much
- an abundance
- a good or great deal
- large amount or number
- a heap
- plethora
Examples of A lot in a sentence
- I enjoyed the movie even though it had a lot of romance scenes.
- Joan did well on her exams because she studied a lot.
- I like a lot of toppings on my pizza.
- I have a lot, and I believe it is my vision to help people who have very little.
- I’ve been thinking a lot about this issue, and I think I have a solution.
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How to use allot in a sentence
Allot is a verb used to describe the action of distributing or assigning something or someone.
Example;
- As the manager, you can allot tasks to your subordinates.
- 30 minutes was allotted for the lunch break.
- The remaining estate have been allotted between you and your siblings.
- The residents at the meeting requested that we allot more money to the rehabilitation project.
- You’ll need to allot a lot of time to the calculations; they are a lot.
When to use a lot vs. alot vs. allot
Use a lot when you’re talking about a large quantity of something or want to show that something happens or is done often or all the time. Remember that A lot is only used as a noun or an adverb.
When can I use a lot? Don’t. It is a misspelling of a lot.
Use allot when you’re referring to dividing something into portions or devoting time, money, or something to a specific purpose.
Also remember, Allot is only used as a verb.
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A lot vs alot FAQs
The two phrases sound the same but have different spellings. A lot is an adverb or pronoun that means “a large quantity,” while a lot is a misspelling of a lot.
There were a lot of people at the beach that day.
Practice a lot if you want to gain mastery
When you refer to a large amount of something, use a lot. Again, when can you use a lot? Don’t!
Conclusion
A lot is a phrase formed by combining the indefinite article a with the noun lot.
It can be used as an adverb to mean “by a great degree” or “frequently or as a noun phrase meaning “a great amount”.
You already know how I feel about alot.
References
- Scribbr – a lot vs alot
- Meriem webster – a lot vs alot
