Own

Own is a determiner and a pronoun.

Own emphasises that a thing belongs to a particular person, or was done by them. We always use a possessive form before own.

Own as a determiner

We can use own as a determiner after a possessive determiner (e.g. my, her, our) or after a possessive noun phrase with ’s:

I never sleep well in hotels. I always sleep best in my own bed at home.

That garden wall is all Jason’s own work. He spent several weekends building it.

Own as a pronoun

We can use own as a pronoun after a possessive determiner (e.g. my, his, their). We often use it in the pattern noun + of + possessive determiner + own:

This is my wife’s laptop. My own is being repaired.

Did you have a flat of your own when you were a student, or did you share?

Own: very own

We can emphasise own by using very:

When I was eight, we moved to a bigger house and I got my very own room and didn’t have to share with my sister any more.

Own: on my own

On my own, on your own, on our own, etc. mean ‘alone’ or ‘without help from another person’. They are less formal than alone. We can emphasise them by using all:

She lives on her own in a tiny flat. (alone)

Nobody helped him build his boat. He did it all on his own. (without help from anyone)

Typical error

We don’t use articles (a/an, the) before own:

As soon as teenagers reach the age of seventeen, they want their own car. They don’t want to depend on mum and dad any more.

Not: … they want the own car. or … they want an own car.