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*Alot or A Lot (or Allot) | Which Is Correct?

*Alot or A Lot (or Allot) | Which Is Correct?

Common Mistakes updated on December 6, 2023 2 min read

A lot is a phrase meaning “often,” “very much,” or “a large number/amount.” People often combine the two words into “alot,” but this spelling is not listed in the dictionary and should not be used. Always write the phrase as two words.

Allot (with a double “l”) is an unrelated verb that means “distribute” or “assign.” Make sure not to confuse it with “a lot.” The QuillBot Grammar Checker will fix this and other common mistakes automatically.

Examples: A lot in a sentence	Examples: Allot in a sentence
I learn a lot of new words by reading.	The organization will allot funds to each department based on their needs.
Jennifer certainly talks a lot!	The pandemic has led the government to allot more resources to public health.

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How to use a lot in a sentence

A lot can be used as an adverb meaning “very much” or “many” or as a pronoun meaning “a large number/amount” or “many.” When it appears as a pronoun, it’s commonly followed by the preposition “of” and a noun specifying the thing being referred to.

Bear in mind that this phrase is considered informal; it should not be used in a formal context like academic writing. Replace it with a more formal synonym like “a great deal” or “many” when necessary.

Examples: A lot in a sentence
It takes a lot of courage to stand up for what you believe in.
Jeanie has been traveling a lot lately.

How to use allot in a sentence

Allot is a verb used to describe the action of distributing or assigning something or someone to a particular group or purpose. Someone who allots is an “allotter,” and “allotment” can be used to refer to the act of allotting or to something that is allotted.

Examples: Allot in a sentence
As a principal, you can allot tasks to your staff as you see fit.
An hour was allotted for the lunch break.

Commas	Parts of speech	Commonly confused words
Comma before because	Nouns	Flier vs flyer
Comma before such as	Collective nouns	Its vs it’s
Comma splice	Verbs	Use to or used to
Comma before or after but	Noun clauses	Alright vs all right
Comma before too	Predicate nominative	Affective vs effective

Frequently asked question about alot or a lot

Is alot a word?

No, “alot” is not a word. It is a misspelling of the phrase a lot, which means “often” or “a great deal” and should always be written as two words. It also should not be confused with the unrelated verb allot, which means to assign or distribute.

The QuillBot Grammar Checker fixes this and other mistakes for free.

Is a lot one word?

No, a lot should always be written as two words; “alot” is always incorrect.

A lot is a pronoun or adverb used to mean “a large amount” or “very much.” It also shouldn’t be confused with the unrelated verb allot, which means “assign” or “distribute.”

The QuillBot Grammar Checker fixes this and other mistakes for free.