Alot or A Lot: Don’t Get It Wrong!

Last updated on September 18, 2024 by Liam Daniel

Sometimes the difference between two words is so small that it’s almost impossible to spot it, especially when you are speaking. In some other cases, however, the difference is as obvious as it can possibly be, and it is that one word is real, while the other one isn’t. That’s exactly what happens with a lot and alot. Even though you can come across both these words in informal conversations and text messages, only one of them is correct. But which one is it?

Alot or A Lot: Spotting the Error

Key Takeaways

  • “A lot” is the correct phrase to use when referring to a large quantity or number of something.
  • “Alot” is not a recognized word in standard English and should be avoided in formal writing.
Alot or A Lot
Alot or A Lot – Created by 7ESL

Alot or A Lot: Definition

A LOT is a noun with an article that means “a big amount or number”, while ALOT isn’t a word at all.

Examples:

  • The conference is going to be a lot of extra work.
  • It was a fruitful meeting; we made a lot of important decisions.
  • He’s got a lot of money but he doesn’t flaunt it.
  • Supermarkets make a lot of profit on their own brand products.

Alot or A Lot: Correct Usage

The reason why you shouldn’t spell a lot as one word is pretty obvious: as there are separate articles and separate noun, there’s no need to combine them. You wouldn’t write “abook” or “adog” instead of “a book” and “a dog” respectively, would you?

So, whenever you need to say that there is a big amount of something, you need to spell a lot as two words. For example, you can say that your friend Caitlin reads a lot of books. If your brother has just drunk five cups of coffee, you can tell him that he drank a lot of coffee. Finally, you can think that there are a lot of very confusing pairs of words in the English language.

If you still aren’t completely sure about which word is correct, think about it this way: you can’t say alittle, can you? This is why, following the same logic, you need to say a lot, spelled as two (or “a lot of”) words.

Practical Tips

Remembering the Difference

To ensure we’re always using the correct term, remember this simple rule: “a lot” is always two words. It means ‘many’ or ‘a large number’. 

Using ‘A Lot’ in Writing

When we use “a lot” in sentences, it can function as an adverb or a noun.

  • As an adverb: We use it often, indicating frequency or degree.
    • Example: She visits us a lot.
  • As a noun: It refers to quantity, expressing a large amount.
    • Example: I have read a lot of books this year.

To maintain formality in our writing, we may opt for synonyms such as “often” for frequency or “many” and “much” for quantity. However, “a lot” is perfectly acceptable in informal contexts.

Alot vs. A lot Examples

  • My country has a lot of mountains.
  • We have a lot of superstitions about animals.
  • There were a lot of people on the bus this morning.
  • Her parents are very liberal and allow her a lot of freedom.
  • I’d been away for a few days so I had a lot of post waiting for me.
  • A lot of firms are relocating to the North of England.
  • I had a lot of interesting experiences during my year in Africa.
  • He has a lot of talent, and his work is fresh and interesting.
  • There’s a lot of work piled up on my desk.
  • She lost a lot of blood in the accident.

Exercises to Learn the Difference

Determine if the usage of “alot” or “a lot” is correct.

  1. I have alot of work to do before the weekend. (True/False)
  2. She reads a lot of books in her free time. (True/False)
  3. There’s alot to consider before making such a decision. (True/False)
  4. Thanks, that helps a lot! (True/False)
  5. He’s been feeling alot better since the surgery. (True/False)
  6. A lot of people are expected to attend the concert. (True/False)
  7. We’ve been seeing alot more birds in our garden lately. (True/False)
  8. I’ve learned a lot from my experiences traveling. (True/False)
  9. It means alot to me that you came to my performance. (True/False)
  10. They’ve spent a lot of time practicing for the competition. (True/False)

Answers:

  1. False (Correct usage: “a lot”)
  2. True
  3. False (Correct usage: “a lot”)
  4. True
  5. False (Correct usage: “a lot”)
  6. True
  7. False (Correct usage: “a lot”)
  8. True
  9. False (Correct usage: “a lot”)
  10. True
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