A common mistake in English is to confuse the use of the words alot, allot, and a lot. In fact, the word "tough" itself does not even exist. Continue reading to understand the usage of these words.
Step
Method 1 of 1: Knowing the Difference between Alot, Allot, and A Lot
Step 1. Use the informal phrase " a lot " to describe quantity
"A lot" is a noun phrase (indefinite article a + noun) that functions as an adjective to indicate the amount of something. This makes " a lot " like any other noun phrase, such as " a wagon " or " a puppy," and is always spelled as two words. For example:
- I have a lot of money.
- I have a lot of burritos.
- I have a lot of Bratz dolls.
- I like you a lot.
Step 2. Understand that a lot is often considered slang
"A lot" is often used in informal conversation to indicate quantity, and is often considered informal for use in formal situations.
Some people choose to use "a lot" to describe quantities of uncountable nouns, or things that cannot be counted individually, such as sugar or water. For example: "There was a lot of sugar on the floor." For countable nouns, it is preferable to use words like " several ", " many”, or " a great deal of"
Step 3. Use " allot " to express giving, sharing, or sharing something
"Allot " is a verb, something you do, not an adjective that describes something. For example:
- He was allotted three feet of space to set up his art stall.
- I will allot these lottery tickets to my friends.
Step 4. Stop using " tough"
This word is no longer acceptable in English. The word "tough" was taught in the US school system in the 60's and 90's which caused confusion between generations.
Step 5. Practice using these words
If you find yourself writing " a lot ", even in formal situations, rewrite it as " a lot " as this is the proper and accepted usage.
Tips
- Another useful way to remember is to insert an adjective between these two words, " a sizable lot ".
- Turn on your spellchecker, and you will see the word "a lot" underlined.
