This article was co-authored by Megan Morgan, PhD. Megan Morgan is a Graduate Program Academic Advisor in the School of Public & International Affairs at the University of Georgia. She earned her PhD in English from the University of Georgia in 2015.
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A commonly made error in English is the mixing up of the words alot, allot and a lot. In fact, the word "alot" does not even exist. Read on to perfect your usage of these words.
Steps
Telling the Difference Between Alot, Allot and A Lot
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Use the informal phrase "a lot" when you wish to describe quantity. "A lot" is a noun phrase (an indefinite article a + a noun) that functions as an adjective to refer to the quantity of something.[1] This makes it like any other noun phrase, such as "a wagon" or "a puppy," and it is always spelled as two words. For example:
- I have a lot of money.
- I have a lot of burritos.
- I have a lot of Bratz dolls.
- I like you a lot.
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Understand that "a lot" is often considered slang. "A lot" is often used in informal conversation to describe the quantity of something, but it is usually considered too colloquial for use in formal prose.[2]
- Some people prefer to use a lot to describe quantities for collective nouns, or things that cannot be counted individually, such as sugar or water. For example: "There was a lot of sugar on the floor." It may be preferable to use other words, such as "several," "many," or "a great deal of" when referring to count nouns (things that can be counted individually).[3]
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Use "allot" when you are referring to giving out, apportioning, dividing or granting something. Allot is a verb, something you do, rather than an adjective that describes something.[4] For example:
- He was allotted three feet of space to set up his art stall.
- I will allot these lottery tickets to my friends.
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Refrain from using "alot". It no longer exists as an acceptable word in English. It was taught in the U.S. school systems in the 60's through the 90's which may be causing some confusion between generations.
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Practice your usage. If you catch yourself writing alot, even in informal situations, rewrite it as a lot as it is the accepted appropriate use.Advertisement
Usage Cheat Sheet
Community Q&A
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QuestionShould it be "I use this product alot"?
DonaganTop AnswererUse "a lot." There's no such word as "alot." -
QuestionIs " I like you allot" or " I like you a lot" correct?
Community Answer"I like you a lot" is correct because "allot" is a verb meaning "give or apportion". -
QuestionWhy do you use an apostrophe when writing about decades? i.e., the 60's.
DonaganTop AnswererThat is simply a punctuation convention that has come into disuse.
Tips
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Turn on your spellchecker, and you will see it underlines alot.[5]Thanks
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Another helpful way to remember is to insert an adjective in between the two words: for example, a sizable lot.Thanks
Warnings
- "A lot" is considered to be informal (colloquial) and should be avoided in formal writing contexts. Substitute "a lot" with formal words and phrases, such as "a great deal", "many", "much", etc.Thanks
References
- ↑ http://grammarist.com/spelling/a-lot-alot/
- ↑ https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/grammar/british-grammar/quantifiers/lots-a-lot-plenty
- ↑ http://unenlightenedenglish.com/2009/04/alot-vs-a-lot-vs-allot
- ↑ https://www.grammar-monster.com/easily_confused/alot_a_lot_allot.htm
- ↑ https://wordcounter.net/blog/2016/06/29/101762_alot-a-lot-and-allot.html
About this article
To tell the difference between "a-l-o-t," "a-l-l-o-t," and "a space l-o-t," look at the sentence you are working with. If you are trying to express a quantity, like "a lot of sugar" or " a lot of money," "a space l-o-t" is the correct phrase. If you're trying to use another word for the verb, "give," use "a-l-l-o-t" like in the phrase "allot my time." A-l-o-t is actually not a recognized word anymore, so do not use this spelling. For more examples of "a-l-l-o-t" versus "a space l-o-t", see our reviewer's tips below!
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