Lots of money is ...... sounds weird to me.
***** NOT A TEACHER *****
Hello, Oceanlike:
I think that I understand what you mean: "lot
s" is plural, yet one must use a singular verb with an uncountable noun (as the teacher reminded you in her post).
I am sure that this matter confuses many students.
Many years ago, a man from Europe came to the United States to live. He started a very famous and powerful newspaper. But all his life, he continued to ask: "
Are there any new
s?" (Of course, "news" requires a singular verb: "
Is there any news?"
By the way, as one expert
* reminds us, both "a lot of" and "lots of" are
informal.
It is my respectful suggestion that you
not use them in reports at the university or for your employer.
That same expert says that if the noun is
uncountable, we can use "a large amount of" or "a great deal of."
a. His example: "I've thrown out a large amount of old clothing."
He says that with countable nouns, it is preferable to use "a large number of."
b. His example: "A large number of problem
s still
have to be solved."
*****
* When you get time, I suggest that you read all that you can about "lots of" and "a lot of." You may wish to start with that expert's book:
Practical English Usage by Michael Swan.