Сегодня мы поговорим о распространенной ошибке, которую часто делают студенты самых разных уровней, изучающие язык. Да что там студенты, даже люди, для которых английский является родным, тоже часто ошибаются в этом вопросе. Это слова, которые произносятся одинаково, но пишутся по-разному и отличаются по смыслу. И одно несуществующее слово. Заинтригованы? Давайте разбираться.
- A lot / Много, часто, большое количество или число
Это слово — quantifier / квантификатор (указатель множества). Оно обозначает большое количество, причем может относиться как к countable / исчисляемым, так и к uncountable / неисчисляемым существительным.
I have a lot of antique furniture. / У меня много антикварной мебели.
I have a lot of fiction books. / У меня много художественных книг.
I have a lot of things to do today. / У меня сегодня много дел.
- После a lot всегда идет предлог of.
I exercise a lot. / Я часто упражняюсь.
- Если a lot употребляется после глагола, то выступает в роли наречия и означает “часто”. Предлог of здесь не требуется.
- Alot
А вот здесь будьте внимательны. Дело в том, что такого слова просто не существует. Это всего лишь ошибочное написание a lot, хотя на практике довольно часто встречается. Запомните: a lot всегда пишется с пробелом. Если, конечно, вы не имеете в виду индийский город Alot / Алот в штате Мадхья-Прадеш.
You can tell alot about a fellow’s character by his way of eating jellybeans. (Ronald Reagan) / Вы можете многое сказать о характере человека по тому, как он ест мармелад. (Рональд Рейган) — известное высказывание бывшего президента США, которое часто цитируют с ошибкой.
A lot — обычное слово с неопределенным артиклем a. Такое же, как a cow / корова или a book / книга. Но никому обычно не приходит в голову писать acow и abook. Почему даже носители языка так часто пишут alot слитно — лингвистическая загадка. Возможно, это связано с похожим по звучанию глаголом allot, о котором речь пойдет дальше.
- A whole lot / Очень много
Это выражение усиливает слово “много”. Если a lot означает просто “много”, то a whole lot — “еще больше”, “действительно много”.
I have a whole lot of fine art work. / У меня огромная коллекция произведений изобразительного искусства.
С глаголами это выражение тоже употребляется.
I swim a whole lot. / Я очень часто плаваю.
- Lots / Много
Это слово означает то же самое, что a lot, но носит более неформальный характер. Чаще употребляется в разговоре.
I have lots of English textbooks, but no dictionary. / У меня полно учебников английского, но нет словаря.
He’s got lots of money but a few brains. / Денег у него полно, а мозгов маловато.
- Употребление lots также требует предлога of.
- Allot / Выделять, распределять, назначать
Это слово полностью созвучно a lot, но пишется по-другому: слитно и с двойной l.
She allotted five pieces of cake to us. / Она выделила нам пять кусков пирога.
She allotted three pieces of chocolate to me and four to you. / Она дала три кусочка шоколада мне и четыре вам.
I allot most of my time to studying English. / Я уделяю большую часть времени изучению английского языка.
I allot 8 hours a day to working. / Я трачу 8 часов в день на работу.
I need to allot more money to my bills. / Мне нужно выделить больше денег на оплату счетов.
Each speaker was allotted ten minutes. / Каждому докладчику отвели десять минут.
Надеемся, теперь разница между этими словами станет понятна. Вы будете уверенно использовать квантификаторы, и вас не поставит в тупик странное слово alot, ведь теперь вы знаете, что это всего лишь орфографическая ошибка.
There’s a lot of difficulties in English, but this one is not the case. / В английском языке много сложностей, но это не тот случай.
There is a surprising amount of confusion between these two words (one of which isn’t actually a word) and which is the correct form to appear in your sentences.
Today, I want to go over the difference between a lot vs. alot and show you a few tricks to remember which of them to use. After reading this post, you won’t ever confuse them again.
While it may be common to see the word “alot” throughout Internet commenting or text messaging, the word is never seen in print, and the reason is simple: it isn’t an actual word.
That’s right. If you go to any dictionary, you will not find the word “alot” as an entry, which makes it all the more interesting why the confusion between the two exists.
What Is a “Lot”?
The two-word construction a lot is just that: two separate words. You have the article a and the noun lot. The word lot is defined as, “a large number or amount, a great deal.”
For example,
- You just drank a lot of milk with dinner.
- Your car uses a lot of gas.
- You read a lot of books.
Just as you wouldn’t combine other instances of article + noun constructions in your sentences, adog, acat, ahorse, etc., you don’t combine the two words a lot. There’s no rhyme or reason to why people combine the words, but plenty of people make the mistake.
And no one knows exactly why. It could be that since the word lot isn’t used in many other instances besides the phrase a lot that writers began to think of alot as the actual word being used and not lot.
Other uses of lot, such as a beautiful lot of land or a parking lot, often pale in comparison to the frequency of the phrase a lot, so it’s easy to see how people could get mixed up. Even this, however, isn’t a totally convincing reason because the plural use of lot (lots) is used correctly with great frequency.
Another possible explanation is the similar features the phrase a lot has with the unrelated word allot.
When to Use Allot
Despite sounding similar to—and being spelled similar as—a lot, the single word allot is an unrelated verb. To allot something is “to give or apportion something to someone as a share.”
For example,
- Will you please allot me my share of the inheritance?
- The lawyer allotted the remained assets from the will.
- During the debate, equal time will be allotted to each party.
As I said above, the fact that this word sounds alike and looks similar to a lot may cause some people to confuse the two.
Remember the Difference
Now that we know a lot is the correct choice for our sentences, here are a few tricks to remember this fact.
Something my grade school English teacher would say to help us remember is,
- A lot is a lot of words.
Another great trick I learned from a reader of mine is similar to the analogy I gave above about combining words like a dog into adog.
- You cannot say “alittle,” so you cannot say “alot.”
Makes sense doesn’t it?
Summary
It’s important to keep track of these two words in your writing because alot vs. a lot are very different.
Alot is not a word.
A lot is the correct choice.
Contents
- 1 Alot vs. A lot?
- 2 What Is a “Lot”?
- 3 When to Use Allot
- 4 Remember the Difference
- 5 Summary
Alot is not a word it is actually among the top offenders when it comes to misspellings and grammar errors. This guide will help you understand a lot or alot.
In the English language, there are a lot of commonly misspelled words. Often, these misspellings come from the way a word sounds when spoken. The misspelling “alot” is one of those.
Writers can make their English teachers cringe quickly with the wrong use of “alot.” This word will also trigger problems in grammar checking programs like Grammarly. Yet it is commonly used incorrectly.
This guide will help writers sort it out and use both British and American English properly.
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Contents
- What Does “Alot” Mean?
- The Meanings of “A Lot”
- Remembering the Rule
- The Final Word on Alot is not a word
- FAQs on Alot Is Not A Word
- Author
What Does “Alot” Mean?
“Alot” is not a word in the English language, and the correct form of this word is the two-word spelling “a lot.” Sometimes it is also mistakenly spelled as “allot.”
The phrase “a lot” includes the word “lot” and the indefinite article “a.” When combined as “a lot” in informal writing, the indefinite article is simply merged with the word “lot.” However, this is not acceptable in formal writing.
No matter how it is misspelled, any spelling other than “a lot” is incorrect. By cleaning this up in their writing, English writers can polish their writing and make it more professional.
The One Exception
There is one exception to this rule. Alot is actually the name of a town in India. If you are talking about Alot, India, then you are talking about a real word and a real place, but otherwise “alot” is not a real word.
The Meanings of “A Lot”
Since “alot” is not a word, the true question is, “What does a lot mean.” This phrase can be several different parts of speech that are worth looking at individually.
Using “A Lot” as a Noun
One way to use “a lot” is as a noun. In this use, it can mean “a large extent, number or amount.”
Having a lot of an item is the opposite of having a little of that item.
Here are some examples of using “a lot” as a noun in a sentence:
- The workload the new manager gave felt like a lot more than in the past.
- The girl had a lot of homework to finish before she could call her friend.
- A lot of health problems start with the diet.
Using “A Lot” as an Adverb
“A lot” also can function as an adverb. In this case, it means “to a great extent or degree.” It usually modifies the verb and tells more about how much extent the subject does the action.
Here are some example sentences using “a lot” as an adverb:
- The card meant a lot after mom passed away. (In this case, “a lot” modifies the verb “meant.”)
- The time went by a lot faster after the intermission. (In this case, “a lot” modifies the adverb “faster.”)
- We traveled a lot slower as we passed through the winding mountain roads. (In this case, “a lot” modifies the verb “went.”)
What About “Allot?”
Allot is sometimes a misspelling of a lot, but it is the correct spelling of a completely different verb. Allot as a verb means “to give out or distribute.” This is actually a correctly used word.
Here are some examples:
- I will allot the necessary money in the budget.
- You must allot sufficient time to get your chores done.
- The allotted snacks were not enough for the hungry group of teenagers.
Remembering the Rule
So how can a writer remember that “alot” and “a lot” are not the same thing? Thinking of the phrase “a whole lot” can help. Though this is not often used in formal writing, it is grammatically correct, and in order to put “whole” in the middle, “a lot” must be used.
Another trick is thinking of “a lot of space.” There is a lot of space between the word “a” and the word “lot” in the proper spelling of the phrase.
The Final Word on Alot is not a word
“Alot” is never correct in formal writing. It is a misspelling of the phrase “a lot.” While it may be acceptable in informal writing and on social media, professional and formal writing needs to use the correct spelling of this phrase.
FAQs on Alot Is Not A Word
Is “alot” in the dictionary?
Even though it is often used in informal writing, “alot” does not hold a space in the Miriam-Webster Dictionary. The idiom “a lot of” does, however.
How do you use “a lot?”
“Alot” is a common misspelling or typo in English. It means “a lot,” and it should always be used as two words.” This phrase can be either a noun or an adverb, depending on its use in the sentence.
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Nicole Harms has been writing professionally since 2006. She specializes in education content and real estate writing but enjoys a wide gamut of topics. Her goal is to connect with the reader in an engaging, but informative way. Her work has been featured on USA Today, and she ghostwrites for many high-profile companies. As a former teacher, she is passionate about both research and grammar, giving her clients the quality they demand in today’s online marketing world.
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Asked by: Doyle Steuber PhD
Score: 4.8/5
(48 votes)
Alot is a common misspelling of a lot. A lot should always be spelled as two words. The meaning of a lot depends on the context. Usually, it means “many” or “to a great extent.” Let’s look at some examples.
Why is alot Not one word?
While it may be common to see the word “alot” throughout Internet commenting or text messaging, the word is never seen in print, and the reason is simple: it isn’t an actual word. That’s right.
Why is alot incorrect?
For example, a lot means a large quantity of something, like room or space. You know alot is incorrect because there’s no room between the “a” and the “l.” On the other hand, you know that a lot is correct because there is a lot of space between the”a” and the “l.” “Alot” is a common misspelling of the phrase “a lot.”
Where did alot come from?
The word was adopted from Germanic into the Romanic languages (compare lottery, lotto). Meaning «choice resulting from the casting of lots» first attested c. 1200.
Is alot a word in Scrabble?
No, alot is not in the scrabble dictionary.
35 related questions found
Is alot one-word or 2?
Alot is a common misspelling of a lot. A lot should always be spelled as two words. The meaning of a lot depends on the context.
Do you say a lot or alot?
First thing’s first: «alot» is not a word. If you want to say that someone has a vast number of things, you would say they have «a lot» of things. «A lot» is always two words. «Allot» means to give or apportion something to someone as a share or task.
Is alot a word in the dictionary?
A lot can seem like it should be a single word—and maybe one day the spelling alot will appear in this dictionary. But right now, the two-word spelling a lot is the one that’s recognized as standard.
Who did 21 Savage sample on a lot?
The song was written by 21 Savage, Cole, and its producers DJ Dahi and J. White Did It. It samples «I Love You» by East of Underground, which is a cover of «I Love You for All Seasons», performed by The Fuzz; The Fuzz member Shelia Young is credited as a co-writer.
Is alot a word in any language?
The noun “lot” means to “a great extent or a large amount.” And the “a” serves as an indefinite article, which is used to introduce a noun that is not specific. That’s why “alot,” which is not a real word and a common misspelling of a lot, is highlighted as a typo in most English language grammar checkers and software.
When should a lot be used?
A lot is a phrase that can be used appropriately in a lot of situations. The word lot can be used as a noun, verb, pronoun, or adverb. When you say, «I play a lot of soccer,» you’re using lot as an adverb; when you say, «I have a lot of marbles,» you’re using lot as a pronoun.
Can you end a sentence with a lot?
a lot means very often or very much. It is used as an adverb. It often comes at the end of a sentence and never before a noun.
Does alot have a space?
To summarize, there should not be any confusion with the use of a lot and alot. The correct form requires a space–a lot–and the one without space, alot, is not an acceptable word.
When did alright become a word?
The form alright is a one-word spelling of the phrase all right that made its first appearance in the 1880s. Alright is commonly used in written dialogue and informal writing, but all right is the only acceptable form in edited writing.
How do you use the word lot in a sentence?
a lot in a sentence
- It took me a lot longer than a lot of people.
- I went through a lot in my career in law enforcement,
- A lot of things were happening emotionally at the same time.
- I am and I know a lot of my friends are.
- They can feel that there is a lot of excitement here,
- I think the tides have a lot to do with it,
Is all right one-word?
Although the one-word spelling of alright is seen in informal writing, teachers and editors will always consider it incorrect. To use the expression with impunity, it is best to spell it as two words: all right.
What song is a lot sampled from?
21 Savage feat. J. Cole’s ‘A Lot’ sample of East of Underground’s ‘I Love You’ | WhoSampled.
What is considered a lot?
For example, Merriam-Webster defines several as «more than two but less than many». The same several people you sent an email to could be described as a few people when you want to say the number is fewer than someone thinks it is: … A lot is a large enough number to impress and a few is close to none.
What part of speech is a lot?
As a noun, «lot» means «a large extent,» «a large amount,» or «a large number.» As an adverb, «a lot» means «to a great extent» or «to a great degree.» Here are some examples of «a lot» in a sentence: Mark has a lot of toys. («Lot» is a noun in this example.)
Is aswell one word UK?
No matter how you use it, the expression “as well” is always two words, despite the fact that many people seem to think it should be spelled “aswell.” Examples: “I don’t like plastic trees as well as real ones for Christmas.” “Now that we’ve opened our stockings, let’s open our other presents as well.”
Is it everyday or every day?
Everyday, one word, is an adjective meaning «used or seen daily,» or «ordinary.» «The phone calls were an everyday occurrence.» Every day, two words, is an adverb phrase meaning «daily» or «every weekday.» «They go to the coffee shop every day.» One trick to remember which is which is to see if you can put another word …
Why is alot not a word?
Alot is not a word. Instead, it’s a misspelling of the term a lot. You know alot is incorrect because there’s no room between the “a” and the “l.” On the other hand, you know that a lot is correct because there is a lot of space between the”a” and the “l.” “Alot” is a common misspelling of the phrase “a lot.”
Which is correct allot or a lot?
“A lot” is always two words. “Allot” means to give or apportion something to someone as a share or task. It can also mean to appropriate for a special purpose.
How many is in a lot?
A lot of is more than five and less than infinity. Many – see a lot. For me a couple of is not exactly two. It means approximately 2, sometimes 3, or even 4.
Is alot in the dictionary?
! Note – Many people write a lot as one word “alot”, probably because it is pronounced like one word. However it does not exist! There is no such word in the English language.
What does Alit mean?
(əˈlɪt ) verb. a rare past tense and past participle of alight1. Collins English Dictionary.
What are the 4 types of bipolar?
Here are the four types of bipolar disorder and how they’re characterized:
- Bipolar 1. This type of bipolar disorder is characterized by manic episodes, with or without depression symptoms.
- Bipolar 2. Bipolar 2 disorder is characterized by having both manic and depressive episodes.
- Cyclothymic disorder.
- Other types.
What is mood anxiety?
Ohrt defines anxiety as a feeling of intense worry, fear or unease. She says it can be caused by several things, including fear of the unknown, unrealistic expectations, physical problems, substances and poor coping skills.
What are grandiose tendencies?
Symptoms. The term “grandiosity” refers to an unrealistic sense of superiority in which you consider yourself unique and better than others. It also infers a disdain for those people you consider to be inferior to you (by way of class, intelligence, beauty, or heritage, etc.).
What is narcissistic grandiosity?
Grandiosity is the defining characteristic of narcissism. More than just arrogance or vanity, grandiosity is an unrealistic sense of superiority. Narcissists believe they are unique or “special” and can only be understood by other special people.
Can narcissists be kind?
Another report from the University of Louisiana found that all kinds of narcissists, along with manipulators and psychopaths, (the so-called “dark triad” of personality traits) are capable of being caring towards others; as long as they see benefit to themselves in doing so.
Do narcissists enjoy hurting others?
Most narcissists enjoy an irrational and brief burst of relief after having suffered emotionally (“narcissistic injury”) or after having sustained a loss. It is a sense of freedom, which comes with being unshackled.
Do narcissists like to be touched?
Narcissists Have a Very Specific Reason They Like to Stay in Touch With Their Exes. “The central motivator for narcissists is validation,” she explains. “And an ex is often a really interesting place to get it… They constantly need that fresh narcissistic supply, and they kind of know what an ex’s supply is like.”
Do narcissists cheat more?
“Relative to nonnarcissists, narcissistic individuals tend to be less committed to their romantic partners and to play games with their romantic partners; they also tend to be less satisfied with their relationships and engage in infidelity more often,” the authors say.
Will a narcissist ever be happy?
Narcissists might have “grandiose” delusions about their own importance and an absence of “shame” – but psychologists say they are also likely to be happier than most people. Psychologist Dr Kostas Papageorgiou says negative responses to narcissism can overlook the positive benefits to the narcissists themselves.
Why is alot not a word?
by
Alex Heath
·
2019-12-22
Why is alot not a word?
Alot is not a word. Instead, it’s a misspelling of the term a lot. You know alot is incorrect because there’s no room between the “a” and the “l.” On the other hand, you know that a lot is correct because there is a lot of space between the”a” and the “l.” “Alot” is a common misspelling of the phrase “a lot.”
Is a lot a compound word?
“A lot” is an idiom, and means “very much.” Brian rocks out a lot when he listens to Nevermind. “Alot,” on the other hand, isn’t a word, so you shouldn’t use it.
Why do people spell a lot as one word?
Possibly people have a natural tendency to spell “alot” in a single word because the brain processes it as a single word. At any rate, with its use for quantification, it clearly has some “special” properties. Notice the difference in verb agreement between: A lot of the problems are due to bad planning.
What type of word is a lot?
More about “A Lot” As a noun, “lot” means “a large extent,” “a large amount,” or “a large number.” As an adverb, “a lot” means “to a great extent” or “to a great degree.” Here are some examples of “a lot” in a sentence: Mark has a lot of toys. (“Lot” is a noun in this example.)
Is a lot or alot?
Alot is a common misspelling of a lot. A lot should always be spelled as two words. The meaning of a lot depends on the context. Usually, it means “many” or “to a great extent.” Let’s look at some examples.
What is difference between defining and non-defining?
Non-defining clauses still add extra information, but not in the same way. While they tell you something additional, they’re not necessary to the meaning of the sentence, but just add an extra non-essential dimension. The only difference is that you cannot use “that” with a non-defining clause, unlike defining clauses.
What is a defining sentence?
Defining relative clauses are composed of a relative pronoun (sometimes omitted), a verb, and optional other elements such as the subject or object of the verb. Commas are not used to separate defining relative clauses from the rest of the sentence.
What language is needed for a relative clause?
A relative clause is one kind of dependent clause. It has a subject and verb, but can’t stand alone as a sentence. It is sometimes called an “adjective clause” because it functions like an adjective—it gives more information about a noun.
Do all languages have relative clauses?
Even among languages which clearly do have relative clauses, there are some differences which might make learning difficult. Word order is something that second language learners might have trouble with, and languages differ with respect to the relationship between a relative clause and the noun which modifies.
Where do we use relative clauses?
We can use relative clauses to join two English sentences, or to give more information about something.
- I bought a new car.
- She lives in New York.
- A defining relative clause tells which noun we are talking about:
- A non-defining relative clause gives us extra information about something.