02 Jun Getting an A
Untangling the confusion about these A words is worth the effort!
- All ready and already:
Use all ready to show that everyone is ready:
Is Hortense ready? Is the dog ready? Are the twins ready? Are you all ready?
Use already to show that something happened before the expected time.
The tulips have already bloomed- two months earlier than last year!
And: Our tickets have already been stamped. We are all ready to begin.
- All together and altogether:
Use all together when you mean “assembled” or “in a group”.
The girls are all together in the cafeteria.
Use altogether when you mean “entirely”.
He was altogether infuriated at the delay.
And: I am altogether delighted that our family members are all together today.
- Alot and a lot:
This is easy. Alot is not a word. A lot means, well…a lot: You used
to have no candy. Then you had a little. Now you have a lot. Give me some!
- All right and alright:
This is also easy. Alright is not a word. All right is used in informal speech to mean that everything is as agreed- okay.