Mumsnet Talk

Yet so many otherwise literate adults seem to think it's one word.

As a secondary school English teacher, I've actually had arguments with teenagers who have been adamant that it's correct, they've seen it that way so often. I've even seen my colleagues leave it uncorrected in pupils' books.

I also see it on mumsnet all the time.

It drives me insane.

It drives me mad as well.

What are your feelings on alright? I was always taught it was all right as two separate words but was told by someone on here once that alright is fine to use. I can't do it though

I was taught to write 'alot' in primary school. I remember it distinctly.

You need to read Hyperbole and a half. Can't easily link on phone but google it.

hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html

Easier than I thought

QED - I do use 'alright' in the context Everything will be alright. But I wouldn't use it in Did you get the questions all right?

Chickens - are you saying you still think 'alot' is fine? Or have you changed your mind?

I still get confused by til, till and until

Realitree, I think I'm going to enjoy that blog!

LeBof:

Until - a preposition

Til - an abbreviation of until (should really have the apostrophe 'til but like many such abbreviations, the apostrophe has been dropped)

Till - a machine used in shops for handling cash transactions

I have seen the till spelling used for the abbreviation of until though, so I could be wrong. But those are the rules I live by!

I've looked it up now- apparently till is the oldest of all, then there was until (which has remained even though we've dropped words like unto), and 'til was an affectation introduced in the nineteenth century. Well, whaddya know?

RealiTree: lovely link!

I can remember being drilled at school to write only "a lot" and "all right".

I think I want a pet alot now!

And in typing the previous sentence, I discovered this predictive keyboard turns "alot" into "a lot" - a small but joyful discovery!

I didn't know any of this. I'm glad I read this thread. (while sat bored at a speed awareness course)

Edith this is actually the problem with predictive keyboards and spellchecks: people rely on them, get sloppy and don't learn the proper rules. IMHO.

Sucks I am at you, you naughty person! When I did a speed awareness course I switched my phone off and listened! I mean, grammar is important but driving safety ... Switch off your phone NOW!

"Alot" is plain wrong.

There is another similar word, "allot" which means "to allocate".

I've also started seeing people use "alittle" in recent months...
google.com/search?q="alittle"

Only 15 million results in Google.

sucks... i would too