5 Minute Grammar Lesson ~ Alot? or A lot?

on May 01, 2023

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Another common grammar mistake that happens frequently, is using ALOT which is not actually a word. If you’re wondering whether to use ALOT or A LOT, keep reading for a quick explanation.

5 Minute Grammar Lesson ~ Alot or A lot?

It’s TWO words! It’s never okay to write alot – simply wrong, wrong, wrong. When in doubt, look for the little red squiggly line under alot {the little line that I miss a lot…} which indicates a problem that needs to be fixed.

Just remember: it’s not alittle or ahuge or asmall or abig. OR ALOT. Separate the two words to be grammatically correct and make your English teacher happy. {And pay attention to little squiggly lines that indicate problems…} 😉

Ok, let’s get a little more technical to really make this message clear.

A LOT is a phrase that means “to a great extent or degree” or “a large amount or quantity”.

ALOT is not a word recognized by most style guides or dictionaries, and is considered a misspelling of “a lot”.

So, is it correct to use “alot”? Quite simply, no. “Alot” is not a proper word in the English language, and using it can be considered a spelling error. It makes your writing appear less professional and less credible to your readers.

Instead, use A LOT when you want to indicate a large quantity or extent. Here are a few examples of correct usage:

I have A LOT of work to do today.
The park has A LOT of trees and flowers.
We learned A LOT in our history class.

If you have trouble remembering that A LOT is two different words, you can use other words instead. It’s always a good idea to use different words or phrases to avoid repetition. This is also a good practice when you aren’t sure about the correct word to us. I use this practice A LOT when I can’t remember whether it’s LAY or LIE, for instance, or EFFECT or AFFECT.

Here are a few alternatives you can use instead of “a lot”: