All too often wrong: ‘Alot’ vs. A lot vs. Allot

A lot of people really mess up these three words. In fact, I’m surprised that they’ve not used up the world’s allotment of allowable mistakes for this trio.

A lot is not a word. It actually is two words that refer to a grouping or patch of property, as in The goods were shipped in a lot marked 7XEGH or We’re thinking of building a house in a lot near Springdale.

A lot is probably the phrase you want to use, especially if you mean a large number of objects or ideas, like The committee brainstormed a lot of great ideas.

Allot is setting aside an amount for something, such as My monthly budget allots $60 for gas.

In short, you can allot a lot of money to purchase a lot near Springdale.

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My name is Rob Bignell. I’m an affordable, professional editor who runs Inventing Reality Editing Service, which meets the manuscript needs of writers both new and published. I also offer a variety of self-publishing services. During the past decade, I’ve helped more than 300 novelists and nonfiction authors obtain their publishing dreams at reasonable prices. I’m also the author of the 7 Minutes a Day… writing guidebooks, four nonfiction hiking guidebook series, and the literary novel Windmill. Several of my short stories in the literary and science fiction genres also have been published.