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Which Is Correct—“Alot,” “A Lot,” or “Allot”?

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“Alot” is not a word. We’ll discuss the correct spelling of this word (a lot), and go over another word that many people also commonly get confused with: “allot.”

White text over green background that reads "a lot vs. allot." (Alot or a lot or allot)
“A lot” is often misspelled as “alot.”
The store offered alot of student discounts.
The store offered allot of student discounts.
The store offered a lot of student discounts.

“Alot” or “A Lot”?

Alot (with no space) is an incorrectly spelled word. The correct spelling is always a lot (two words).

When used as a noun, the meaning of a lot is “a considerable number, quantity, or amount.”

We had a lot of fun during our vacation.

As an adverb, a lot means “a great deal” or “often.”

I care for her a lot.
We have been performing a lot during the tour.

What’s Another Word For “A Lot”?

When using a lot as a noun, you can replace it with these more concise alternatives:

1) Numerous

A lot of studies show that high social media usage has a detrimental effect on teens.
Numerous studies show that high social media usage has a detrimental effect on teens.

2) Several

There are a lot of types of bananas.
There are several types of bananas.

3) Many

If you make a right on Main Street, you’ll see that a lot of houses have been decorated for the festivities.
If you make a right on Main Street, you’ll see that many houses have been decorated for the festivities.

What Does “Allot” Mean?

A lot is also often confused with the verb allot, which means “to give or assign as a share or portion.” Therefore, it would be wrong to write allot of:

Allot of the concert-goers were unhappy with the late start.

A lot of the concert-goers were unhappy with the late start.

The correct usage of the word allot is:

We were told to allot five minutes to respond to questions after the presentation.


How To Remember the Difference Between “Allot” or “A Lot”

Remember, when it comes to alot and a lot, the correct choice is always a lot. If you’re trying to “allocate a certain portion,” then the word you want is allot.

This can be a lot of information, regardless of whether you’re a native English speaker or are learning the language. The best way to guarantee flawless writing is to use LanguageTool as your text editor, so it could check for spelling and grammar errors as well as provide stylistic improvements.


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