A lot of means many or much: a lot of people, a lot of time. It works with things you count and things you don't, so you don't have to choose between many and much. It's the most common way to say many or much in conversation, but in an essay it sounds too casual: many, much or a large number of work better there.
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a lot of + plural noun (people, books); a lot of + uncountable noun (time, money); verb + a lot (no of)
- We had a lot of rain on holiday, but the museums were great.
- A lot of my classmates work part-time while they study.
- She reads a lot, mostly crime novels on the train to work.
What changed
First versionI made a lot friends at the summer camp.
RevisionI made a lot of friends at the summer camp.
Many and much go straight before a noun, so a lot seems as if it should too. But a lot works like a noun meaning a large amount, and of links it to whatever there's a lot of: a lot of friends. Without of, the phrase falls apart.
If no noun follows a lot, there's no of: I travel a lot, Thanks a lot. Of links a lot to what there's a lot of, and without a noun it has nothing to attach to: I like it a lot, not I like it a lot of.
Your turn
I don't go to the cinema much, but I watch films at home ___.
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a lot — The sentence ends with a lot, and no noun follows it, so of isn't needed: watch films at home a lot. A lot of needs something after it: a lot of films.
Describe your town. Say what it has a lot of and what it's missing.
My town has a lot of parks and cafés, but there aren't enough cinemas.
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