Very many or very much or very often is a lot. If you like something very much, you might say, "I like it a lot, or if you have a large amount of homework, you can say, "I have a lot of homework."
A lot is correctly written as two words, not alot. You might wonder why. One meaning of lot is "a great quantity of something." For instance, if someone wants to bring enough cupcakes for everyone at the party, he or she might buy the whole lot, meaning every cupcake the bakery has. It's that spirit of abundance that comes through in a lot. Just remember: "You brought a lot of cupcakes! I bet you bought the whole lot!"