You want a gimmick to spell "alot" as two words?  My students try to insert
something between the syllables of this type of expression.  If they can
insert anything that makes sense, they have two words. If they can't, it's
one.  For example:
a whole lot
all possible ways (regarding ways)
al???ways (nothing fits regarding time)
all completely ready (does not make sense when already is used regarding
time, as
                He's already finished.
 
This gimmick is only a start that needs polishing because it does not work
perfectly,  sometimes/some of the times, but it's (it certainly is) close
and helps a whole lot.
Can anyone polish it for me?
 
Carolyn Hartnett
Professor Emeritus
College of the Mainland, Texas City, Texas
[log in to unmask] or
[log in to unmask]