Is a lot two words or one word

A lot (two words) is a pronoun and adverb meaning ‘very much’ or ‘a large amount’. ‘Alot’ (one word) is never correct.

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Most of us use the phrase “a lot” frequently when referring to time or a large quantity or amount. But, some mistake the expression for a single word, writing “alot,” which is incorrect.

“A lot” is a two-word phrase, and you should always spell it as such. “A lot” spelled as a single word (alot) is incorrect. You may use it as a noun phrase or an adverbial phrase. “A” is an indefinite article, and “lot” is a noun – taken together, these two words can mean a large quantity, to a large extent, or that something occurs frequently. 

Continue reading to learn more about this phrase and how and when to use it correctly in your writing.

What Does “A Lot” Mean? 

The phrase “a lot” refers to a large number or amount of something, whether that is time, things, people, or something else (source). Something that you would refer to as “very much” or “many” you could also refer to as “a lot.”

While you may see “a lot” spelled as one word, remember that this is incorrect.

The single noun “lot” can refer to a large amount or number of people or things, very much or many of something, or it can refer to a set or group of something or “everything” (source). 

When you use the indefinite article “a” in front of “lot,” you are introducing a noun (or noun phrase) that is not specific.

The only indefinite articles in English are “a” and “an,” and you’ll use them as stand-alone words before a noun when you want to refer to something general, such as “a lot” of something.

The definite article “the” is a bit different in that it refers to something specific, so you can use it with “lot,” but when doing so, be sure that you are referring to a particular identification of something.

Below are two examples illustrating the difference between “the” and “a” when you use it with the noun “lot.”

  • “I have a lot to do tonight.”

Above, we use “a lot” to show that there is a large quantity of something the speaker will need to do, but we don’t know what it is or how much specifically.

  • “I’ll take the entire lot of tomatoes, please.”

Here, we’re using the definite article “the” because we want to communicate that we’d like the entire group (a large quantity) of something specific: tomatoes.

Note that when you use “the” with “lot,” you’ll most likely want to use another descriptive adjective like “whole” to show that you are speaking of a group of items.

Is it Grammatically Correct to Say “A lot”?

It is grammatically correct to say “a lot” when referring to a large quantity of something, so long as you spell it properly in two separate words. You can use the phrase as either an adverb or a noun phrase.

An adverb is a word that modifies an adjective, verb, or another adverb, while a noun is a person, place, thing, or idea.

If you use “a lot” as part of an adverb phrase, that means you are describing how, in what way, when, or to what extent something happens. For example, we might say, “Thanks a lot for helping me carry my groceries to the car.”

In this sense, “a lot” modifies the verb “thanks” and shows that we are offering not just a simple “thank you” but want to show the great extent of our gratitude.

You may also say, “I have a lot of shoes in my closet.” Here, “a lot” is a noun phrase because you show that you have a large quantity of an item: shoes. 

How Do You Use “A Lot”?

You can use “a lot” to show that you have a lot of something or something to a large extent, or you can use it to show that you or someone else does something frequently. Remember that spelling it as one word is a misspelling of the phrase.

We can use the phrase as either part of a noun or an adverbial phrase. Both ways are correct, so which you use depends on the construction of your sentence and what you are communicating.

For example, you might say, “I go running a lot in the spring and summer.” Here, you’re using the phrase as part of an adverb phrase because you are showing how often something occurs (frequently or often).

It matters less that you know exactly the part of speech you are using “a lot” as and more that you use (and spell) it correctly. If you can identify what you are using “a lot” to modify, it’ll be easy to determine if it is a noun or an adverb.

Here’s another example where “a lot” modifies an adjective (and therefore is part of an adverbial phrase):

  • Her haircut was a lot shorter than I expected!

Above, “a lot shorter” is an adverb phrase because “a lot” modifies the word that follows, “shorter,” which is an adjective or describing word.

When Can You Use “A Lot”?

You can use “a lot” any time you want to show a large quantity or amount of something, whether you use it as a noun or an adverb. It is not a formal phrase, however, so remember that if you are writing for a formal context, you may want to choose a synonymous term that has a more formal connotation. 

Again, “a lot” is a two-word phrase that means very often or very much. When you use the indefinite article “a” before “lot,” you refer to a singular idea. Conversely, you may also see the phrase “lots of.” This is simply the plural form of this common phrase. 

So, both of the below sentences are correct:

  • I have a lot of homework today.
  • I have lots of homework today.

The initial sentence is singular, while the second is plural. 

In the first sentence, “a” shows a large quantity of a single item: homework. In the second sentence, rather than using the indefinite article, we instead pluralized the word “lot,” writing “lots” to show that the speaker has many assignments in various homework subjects.

In What Context Can You Use “A Lot”

You can use “a lot” in quite a few contexts, but remember that it is not a formal phrase. You’ll often hear this phrase in casual conversation and informal writing, such as emails or text messages.

Later in this article, we’ll provide some ideas and examples of other phrases you can use instead of “a lot” if you wish to be more formal in tone.

While it can sometimes be challenging to know if you are using the phrase as an adverb or a noun, you can determine which one by identifying what you are pairing the phrase with. 

Often, if you pair it with another noun, you will make a noun phrase. However, if the meaning is more in line with showing that something happens frequently, you are likely using it as an adverb. 

Some everyday contexts in which you’ll hear the phrase are when you want to offer thanks or gratitude, such as “Thanks a lot,” or when you want to express that you or someone else has “a lot” of something. 

When Not to Use “A Lot”

You should avoid using “a lot” in formal writing and contexts. Further, you should never spell it as a single word – that is always incorrect.

Because the phrase is common and colloquial, it’s not appropriate in formal contexts. And, because the term is an indefinite quantifier, you should opt for more specific quantifiers in formal writing and scientific contexts.

For example, you wouldn’t want to explain a scientific process or directions in a recipe using the word “a lot” since you’ll need specific amounts in these situations.

You should also avoid the phrase if you are using it too much. Sometimes, we use common terms in our writing and tend to default to those same phrases repeatedly. 

If you are overusing the phrase, you may exchange it for a synonym that matches the formality of the context. 

Before we go over synonyms for the phrase “a lot,” let’s look at one illustration of the difference in formality:

  • The building project needed a lot of work before it would be safe.
  • The building project required an excessive amount of work before it would be safe.

While both sentences are technically and grammatically correct, the latter has a more formal connotation than the former.

What Can You Use Instead of “A Lot”?

There are quite a few synonymous words and phrases that you can use in place of “a lot,” some of which are formal and others that are less formal. Some examples include “excessive,” “enormously,” or “abundantly.” 

Below you’ll see a list of common synonyms for “a lot” (source).

Meaning: a large quantity or number

  • Plenty
  • Piles
  • Abundant
  • Loads
  • A whole heap
  • A good deal
  • A large amount

Meaning: occurring often or a great deal

  • Regularly
  • Frequently
  • Often 
  • Enormously

Below you’ll find more formal synonyms for “a lot”:

  • Excessive or Excessively
  • Several
  • Plethora
  • Numerous
  • Myriad
  • Copious/A copious amount

Using “A Lot” in a Full Sentence

As we’ve discussed, there are a few ways you can use the phrase “a lot” in a complete sentence, as long as you use it correctly as a two-word phrase.

Below you’ll find a few examples using “a lot” as part of a noun phrase:

  • I have a lot of work to do after school today.
  • She owns a lot of purses – too many to count!
  • The little girl likes a lot of sprinkles on her ice cream.

Here are sentences using “a lot” as an adverb phrase:

  • I am experiencing a lot of nervous energy right now.
  • I’ve been thinking a lot about what she said, but I still disagree.
  • She goes running a lot, so my knee often hurts. 

“Allot” Versus “A Lot”

One other word you may want to be aware of is the similar-sounding single word “allot,” which is very different from the phrase “a lot.” While the word sounds the same, it refers to dividing something into portions, whether that is time, money, or some other specific thing.

Image by Kelli Tungay via Unsplash

Here’s an example: “I’m going to allot a portion of my free time to painting, and then I’ll finish my chores.”

We use “allot” as a verb rather than a noun or adverb like the phrase “a lot.”

So, if you hear “allot,” you will need to listen to the context closely to understand its correct meaning, whether a large quantity or the action of dividing something into portions.

Adverb Phrases, Common Phrases, and Idioms

Phrases are an essential part of English conversation and writing. Some are adverb phrases, others are idioms, and some are simply ones that you may hear or use commonly.

Remember, an adverb phrase is simply a group of words functioning as an adverb, and an adverb is a word that modifies the words around it to describe how, when, or what is happening. Adverbs also often answer specific questions, including who, what, where, why, or to what extent.

The only distinction between a traditional adverb and an adverbial phrase is that the former is a single word, while the latter is more than one word. This is why we classify “a lot” as an adverb phrase.

“A lot” is a prevalent phrase you will frequently hear and use in English to explain something that often occurs or as a noun, referring to a large quantity of something.

You’ll also sometimes hear “a lot” within common idioms. Idioms are phrases with different meanings you cannot necessarily deduce from the individual words. 

This article was written for strategiesforparents.com

A typical example of an idiom with the phrase “a lot” is when someone says, “I have a lot on my plate today.”

They are not saying that they have a lot of food on their plate, but rather their day is so busy that they cannot fit any more events into their schedule.

If you’d like to learn more about common two-word phrases often misspelled, read At Least or Atleast: Is It One Word or Two?

Final Thoughts

Some words in English sound the same, but we spell them differently. Thus, knowing when a compound word is one word or two can be challenging to remember. 

You can confidently remember that “a lot” is always two words, whether you use it in a noun phrase or as an adverb.

You should never spell it as one word – unless, that is, you are using the word “allot,” which has a different meaning altogether. 

No, they aren’t doing the same thing.

It’s because these a- words are mostly ancient prepositional phrases in origin that eventually got squished together — but into adverbs, not quantifiers or adjectives. Consider aback, abroad, above, afoot, across, afar, ahead, ajar, akin, alike, aloud, amid, apart, atop, away.

That a- portion was an unstressed version of the word on way back in Old English, according to Oxford Dictionaries Online. As a prefix it most often means on or to something, or in that manner.

So the process that created all these fused prepositional phrases turned to adverbs is not one that would give rise to such things as *alot, *alittle, *abit, *abig, *afat, *acool, *abad, *anold.

Articles and prepositions aren’t the same thing, so to‑day you aren’t going to get an adjective by fusing an article to an adjective.
For that we have a newt, an orange, an apron, a nickname:)

More seriously, this very thing did once happen aforetimes to give us another. Then again, whether other counts as an adjective is dubious in modern analysis.
In any event, it is not a productive process now‑a‑days.

  •  0
  •  43,786

Hello. Could you tell me if «alot» is one or two words. I see it both ways. Thank you.

  • Guest

Comments  

should be 2 words, but in American English it is sometimes transcribed in 1 word.

  • pieanne

Hi Pieanne,

Actually ‘alot’ is unacceptable in American English. If you’ve seen it in a book or a magazine then it’s probably a typo. Anywhere else and the writer is just lazy.

  • matthewg

Here’s a trick of the trade.

If you can insert a word bewteen «a» and «lot», then it should be written as two words:

I like you a whole lot.

I like you

a lot

.

All the best,

  • Casi
  • anonymous

«A lot,» meaning «a bunch» or «many» is two words. To «allot» something means to give a portion of something to someone.

  • anonymous

a lot is two words—there is no doubt about it. There are those email junkies who will disagree, but if you want to be proper, a lot is two words.

M

  • anonymous
  • anonymous

I can’t think of a thing that can be added to move this thread any further foward, so I’m going to close it now.

  • BarbaraPA

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As my teacher says nonstop, «A LOT TWO WORDS.» I get confused
too, just remember you want a lot (more) not alot (less). its sort
of confusing but thats how i remember it

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Q: Is a lot one word or is it 2 words?

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Some words are tricky because they sound the same in speaking, but they could be spelled as one word or two. For example, is it “alright” or “all right”… “awhile” or “a while”… “anytime” or “any time”? Here’s a cheat sheet for you of a few of these tricky words! 🙂


ALLOT (one word) = assign, distribute [We need to allot one hour for the presentation.]

A LOT (two words) = a considerable quantity [I have a lot of chocolate hidden in my bottom drawer.]

* NOTE: alot is not a word, neither is awholelot or anawfullot. 😉


ALREADY (one word) = previously [We already donated money to the fake cause before it was discovered.]

ALL READY (two words) = everyone is ready [“Are you all ready for the party to start?”]


ALRIGHT (one word) = okay, acceptable [“It’s alright with me if you stop by later.”]

ALL RIGHT (two words) = entirely, completely right [“That was a terrible fall! Are you all right?”]


ANYMORE (one word) = any longer, now, still [My elderly uncle doesn’t travel anymore.]

ANY MORE (two words) = something additional or further (refers to quantities) [I don’t want any more broccoli!]


ANYONE (one word) = any person (always refers to people) [It’s so simple that anyone could do it.]

ANY ONE (two words) = a specific person or thing, usually “of” follows it [Any one of my brothers could help out.]


ANYTIME (one word) = any time whatsoever [“Call me anytime.”]

ANY TIME (two words) = a particular amount of time [“Did you call me any time yesterday?”]


AWHILE (one word) = an adverb; for a short period of time [“I know we’ll see whales here. Let’s wait awhile.”]

A WHILE (two words) = a noun; a period of time [It’s been a while since we’ve gone sailing.]

* TIP: Here’s how to tell which word to use—substitute “slowly” or “quietly” in place. If the substitute adverb sounds fine, then use awhile (one word).

Let’s wait quietly. (It works, so use one word.) = Let’s wait awhile.
Let’s wait for quietly. (It doesn’t work, so use two words.) = Let’s wait for a while.
It’s been quietly since we’ve gone sailing. (It doesn’t work, so use two words.) It’s been a while since we’ve gone sailing.


EVERYDAY (one word) = daily, routinely, ordinarily [I take my vitamins everyday unless I’m traveling.]

EVERY DAY (two words) = each day [I take my vitamins every day, no matter what.]


EVERYONE (one word) = every person, everybody [Tell everyone on the team to wear their new jerseys tomorrow.]

EVERY ONE (two words) = each individual person or item [Every one of the jerseys has a different number on it.]


FACEUP/FACEDOWN (one word) = with the face up or the face down [He was lying faceup, but she was lying facedown.]

FACE UP/FACE DOWN (two words) = deal with or confront something or someone [I had to face up to my fears. No one wanted to face down the school bully because he always won.]


NEVER MIND = Always two words


SETUP (one word) = configuration, assembly, arrangement [The setup of the movie equipment took all day.]

SET UP (two words) = to place, to assemble, to bring about [They set up a statue in the center of the park.]


SOMEDAY (one word) = at a future, indefinite time [Someday I’ll buy a house. I’ll start a diet someday.]

SOME DAY (two words) = a specific day that is unknown or unspecified [I will buy a house some day after the new year when I get my bonus. I’m going to see the doctor some day next month.]


SOMETIME (one word) = at some point, at an unspecified time [I’ll read that book sometime. Give me a call sometime.]

SOME TIME (two words) = a long period of time [I have been working on my novel for some time. For some time, humans have benefited from technology.]


Savvy Writer Tip:

Speaking and writing are two different things. Some words sound exactly the same but have completely different meanings when written as one word or two. Savvy writers use the correct spelling and definition of every one of these words! 🙂

A common writing error occurs when students use the wrong version of a compound word or phrase. It’s important to know the difference between everyday and every day because these expressions have very different meanings. 

Improve your writing by learning the differences between expressions that are very similar but that fill very different roles when it comes to sentence structure.

A Lot or Alot?

“A lot” is a two-word phrase meaning very much. This is an informal expression, so you shouldn’t use it “a lot” in your writing.

“Alot” is not a word, so you should never use it!

It’s a good idea to avoid this expression altogether in formal writing.

All Together or Altogether?

Altogether is an adverb meaning completely, entirely, wholly, or «considering everything.» It often modifies an adjective.

«All together» means as a group.

The meal was altogether pleasing, but I would not have served those dishes all together.

Everyday or Every Day?

The two-word expression “every day” is used as an adverb (modifies a verb like wear), to express how often something is done:

I wear a dress every day.

The word “everyday” is an adjective that means common or ordinary. It modifies a noun.

I was horrified when I realized I’d worn an everyday dress to the formal dance.

They served an everyday meal—nothing special.

Never Mind or Nevermind?

The word “nevermind” is often used in error for the two-word term “never mind.” 

The phrase “never mind” is a two-word imperative meaning “please disregard” or “pay no attention to that.” This is the version you’ll use most often in your life.

Never mind that man behind the curtain.

All Right or Alright?

“Alright” is a word that appears in dictionaries, but it is a nonstandard version of “all right” and should not be used in formal writing.

To be safe, just use the two-word version.

Is everything all right in there?

Backup or Back Up?

There are many compound words that confuse us because they sound similar to a verb phrase. In general, the verb form usually consists of two words and the similar compound word version is a noun or adjective.

Verb: Please back up your work when using a word processor.
Adjective: Make a backup copy of your work.
Noun: Did you remember to make a backup?

Makeup or Make Up?

Verb: Make up your bed before you leave the house.
Adjective: Study for your makeup exam before you leave the house.
Noun: Apply your makeup before you leave the house.

Workout or Work Out?

Verb: I need to work out more often.
Adjective: I need to wear workout clothing when I go to the gym.
Noun: That jog gave me a good workout.

Pickup or Pick Up?

Verb: Please pick up your clothes.
Adjective: Don’t use a pickup line on me!
Noun: I’m driving my pickup to the mall.

Setup or Set Up?

Verb: You’ll have to set up the chairs for the puppet show.
Adjective: Unfortunately, there is no setup manual for a puppet show.
Noun: The setup will take you all day.

Wake-Up or Wake Up?

Verb: I could not wake up this morning.
Adjective: I should have asked for a wake-up call.
Noun: The accident was a good wake-up.

As a living language, English is in a constant state of flux. This is quite clear when two words work their way into becoming one word.

Abovementioned is a good example, and yes, it’s one word. It started out in life as above-mentioned, but it’s no longer hyphenated and has become one word, just as its predecessor, aforementioned, did.

Other words have left their hyphens behind:

• Firsthand
• Halfway
• Interaction
• Smartphone
• Greenhouse
• Landline
• Videotape
• Handwrite

Some words are barely hanging on to their hyphens, depending on your stylebook, such as:

• Co-worker / Coworker
• Sub-category / Subcategory
• Bi-racial / Biracial

And there are words with the hyphen still decidedly in use:

• E-coli
• Mother-in-law
• Long-term

I would just love to tell you the rule about when and how and why two words can go from standing alone to being hyphenated to being one word, such as:

Problem is, there really isn’t a rule. Another aspect of a living language is that what is “correct” is only what is most commonly done. Think all you like that you shouldn’t split infinitives, but it’s no longer an “official” grammatical mistake.

So, while there’s no rule, there is a general trend, which is that the more people use a word, the less likely they are to hyphenate it. That’s why it’s email but e-commerce, and why decision-making is always hyphenated now, even though other such constructions, such as risk taking, muscle building, and drug seeking, are hyphenated only when they’re modifiers.

When it comes to spelling things with hyphens, people basically approach it like cooking asparagus: we do it until we get tired of it and decide it’s OK to stop. Some words may soon be headed for hyphenation:

• Bumper car
• Cell phone
• Conference call

And currently hyphenated words that may soon just be one word include:

• On-site
• Close-up
• Well-being

In better news, there are some groups of two-word / one-word terms that show a pattern, such as:

• Pick up / Pickup
• Make up / Makeup
• Get away / Getaway
• Set up / Setup
• Log in / Login

As you can see, in this group, two words are used when they are a verb + a preposition, and one word is used when it’s a noun.

• Mom’s going to pick up the kids in her pickup.
• Dad wants to make up with her, so he put on his makeup.
• See how I set up that gender-defying setup?

Another pattern shows up in:

• Some time / Sometime
• Any time / Anytime
• Some day / Someday
• Over time / Overtime
• Any one / Anyone
• Every day / Everyday
• No body / Nobody

In this group, two words are used when it’s a modifier + a noun. The two words merge into one to create a modifier or noun that is related to, but not the same as, the modified noun.

If I have “some time,” then I have an amount of time, but I’m not telling you exactly how much time it is (e.g., an hour). “Sometime” takes the ball and runs with it, becoming a modifier that means “an unspecified time.”

• I have some time to talk.
• I’ll talk to you sometime.

The others in this group work the same:

• Their game has gotten better over time.
• They’re playing in overtime now.

and

• I have no body buried under my house!
• Oh, that dead guy? He’s nobody.

Our final group here is made up of the troublemakers that don’t really follow a pattern, such as:

• All together / Altogether
• All ready / Already
• May be / Maybe
• Can not / Cannot

These are two-words-made-one for all kinds of reasons, and as such must be learned on their own.

All together is a modifier that means everyone is included in the action.
Altogether is also a modifier, but it means “completely.”
• You guys are altogether crazy when you’re all together like this.

whereas

All ready is a modifier that says something is completely prepared.
Already is also a modifier, but it means that something has occurred in the past.
• We were already all ready to go an hour ago.

whereas

May be is a verb.
Maybe is a modifier indicating uncertainty.
• Maybe I should tell him that one day his children may be famous.

whereas

Can not is a verb only to be used as an option for choosing not to do something.
Cannot is a verb and the correct way to spell out “can’t.”
• I cannot explain to my cat I that can not feed her if I do not want to.

And then there’s one pair that’s really fiendish: a part and apart.

A part is an article and then a noun.
Apart is a modifier indicating separateness.
• Apart from all that nuisance with the bill, the mechanic stole a part from my car.

The reason this last one is so odd is that it didn’t actually do the a + part = apart dance that the others did. The “a” in “apart” is like the “a” in “asymptomatic” and “asexual,” meaning “not.”

• He’s a sexual guy.
• He’s asexual.

(Good idea not to mess up those two!)

So, while the English language bounces along, throwing out odd changes at its speakers’ whims, we can find some order in the chaos. But for some words, sorry, you just need to memorize them, or hire someone who does, like your friends at ProofreadingPal.

Julia H.

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