B1–B2

Own — English Grammar Exercises

my/mine, your/yours, their/theirs — know the difference

Own: Patterns and Common Errors

'Own' is a versatile emphasiser that always attaches to a possessive adjective. Learners at B1–B2 level frequently produce two errors: using 'an own' without any possessive adjective, and confusing 'by her own' with the correct idiom 'on her own'. These errors appear in learner corpora across multiple L1 backgrounds, suggesting they reflect universal gaps in instruction rather than L1 transfer alone.

Pattern 1: Possessive + own + noun (exclusive possession)

She has her own room. (= a room only for her — not shared)
I'd love to have my own flat one day.
They've always wanted their own garden.

Pattern 2: on + possessive + own (independence / alone)

He can do it on his own. (= without help, alone)
She travelled across Asia on her own.
Did you build that bookshelf on your own?

'On your own' is synonymous with 'by yourself'. The error 'by his own' blends the two constructions and is never correct.

Pattern 3: noun + of + possessive + own (personal belonging)

They dream of having a house of their own. (= a house that is truly theirs)

Common Mistakes

✗ He bought an own car. → ✓ He bought his own car.
✗ She did the project by her own. → ✓ She did the project on her own.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns?

Possessive adjectives (my, your, his, her, its, our, their) come before a noun and modify it: 'Is this your bag?' Possessive pronouns (mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs) stand alone and replace the noun to avoid repetition: 'I forgot my umbrella. Can I borrow yours?' The key test: if a noun follows immediately, use the adjective form. If the noun is omitted, use the pronoun form. Note that 'his' and 'its' serve as both adjective and pronoun.

What does 'a friend of mine' mean, and why not 'a my friend'?

'A friend of mine' is the double possessive (or post-genitive) construction meaning 'one of my friends'. English does not allow a possessive adjective after an indefinite article: 'a my friend' is ungrammatical. The pattern is: indefinite article + noun + of + possessive pronoun (mine/yours/his/hers/ours/theirs). Compare: 'I bumped into a colleague of hers' (one of her colleagues). After 'of', always use the pronoun form, not the adjective: 'of mine', not 'of my'.

What is the difference between 'its' and 'it's'?

'Its' (no apostrophe) is the possessive adjective, showing that something belongs to it: 'The company changed its logo.' 'It's' (with apostrophe) is a contraction of 'it is' or 'it has': 'It's raining' (= it is raining); 'It's been a long day' (= it has been). The test: expand the contraction. If 'it is' or 'it has' makes sense, write 'it's'. If not, write 'its'. This is one of the most common spelling errors at B1–B2 level in learner corpora.

How do I use 'own' in English — 'my own', 'on my own', or 'of my own'?

'Own' always follows a possessive adjective and adds emphasis on exclusive or personal possession. Three patterns: (1) possessive + own + noun for emphasis: 'She has her own room' (not shared); (2) on + possessive + own = alone, without help: 'He did it on his own' (never 'by his own'); (3) a/some + noun + of + possessive + own = something that personally belongs to someone: 'They want a house of their own'. Note: 'an own car' is wrong — 'own' always needs a possessive adjective before it.