a friend of mine · my own house · on my own / by myself
of mine/yours/his · my own / your own · on my own / by myself — Complete Guide
a friend of mine · my own house · on my own / by myself
of mine/yours/his · my own / your own · on my own / by myself — Guide Complet
Master three closely related structures: a friend of mine (one of my friends), my own room (exclusive possession), and on my own / by myself (alone or without help).
Maîtrisez trois structures étroitement liées : a friend of mine (un de mes amis), my own room (possession exclusive), et on my own / by myself (seul ou sans aide).
This unit covers three structures that learners often confuse. A friend of mine means “one of my friends” — never “a friend of me”. My own stresses exclusive or independent possession. On my own / by myself both mean alone or without help. Each structure has its own rules and typical errors.
Cette unité couvre trois structures que les apprenants confondent souvent. A friend of mine signifie « un de mes amis » — jamais « a friend of me ». My own souligne une possession exclusive ou indépendante. On my own / by myself signifient tous les deux seul ou sans aide.
a friend of mine / a friend of yours etc.
a friend of mine / a friend of yours etc.
We say (a friend) of mine / yours / his / hers / ours / theirs. This means “one of my/your/his… friends” — never use the object pronoun (me/you/him…) after of in this structure.
On dit (a friend) of mine / yours / his / hers / ours / theirs. Cela signifie « un de mes/tes/ses… amis » — n’utilisez jamais le pronom objet (me/you/him…) après of dans cette structure.
✓ We went on holiday with some friends of ours. (not some friends of us)
✓ Harry had an argument with a neighbour of his.
✓ It was a good idea of yours to go to the cinema.
✓ That woman is a friend of my sister’s. (= one of my sister’s friends)
| Subject pronoun | Use after “of” | ❌ Never say |
|---|---|---|
| Pronom sujet | Utiliser après « of » | ❌ Ne jamais dire |
| I | mine | of me |
| you | yours | of you |
| he | his | of him |
| she | hers | of her |
| we | ours | of us |
| they | theirs | of them |
| Tom / my sister | Tom’s / my sister’s | of Tom / of my sister |
my own … / your own … etc. — Exclusive Possession
my own … / your own … etc. — Possession Exclusive
We say my own / your own / her own etc. — never an own. Own emphasises that something belongs exclusively to you — not shared, borrowed, or given by someone else.
On dit my own / your own / her own etc. — jamais an own. Own souligne que quelque chose vous appartient exclusivement — pas partagé, emprunté ou donné par quelqu’un d’autre.
✓ Vicky and Gary would like their own house.
✓ Why don’t you use your own car? (instead of borrowing mine)
✓ I’d like a room of my own. (= my own room)
✓ He has too many problems of his own. (= his own problems)
own — Doing Things Yourself Instead of Others
own — Faire les Choses Soi-Même
We also use own to say that we do something ourselves rather than having someone else do it for us.
On utilise aussi own pour dire qu’on fait quelque chose soi-même plutôt que de faire appel à quelqu’un d’autre.
I’d like a garden so I could grow my own vegetables. (= grow them myself, not buy them)
We bake our own bread. (= we make it ourselves)
She designs her own clothes. (= she designs them herself)
on my own / by myself — Alone or Without Help
on my own / by myself — Seul ou Sans Aide
On my own and by myself both mean alone or without help. They are interchangeable. The form changes according to the subject.
On my own et by myself signifient tous les deux seul ou sans aide. Ils sont interchangeables.
on + possessive + own
by + reflexive pronoun
Some people prefer to live on their own. = … live by themselves.
Jack was sitting on his own in a corner. = Jack was sitting by himself…
Did you go on holiday on your own? = Did you go on holiday by yourself?
Rewrite using the structure “… of mine/yours/his…”.
Réécrivez en utilisant la structure « … of mine/yours/his… ».
Complete using my own / our own etc. + the word given.
Complétez avec my own / our own etc. + le mot donné.
bathroom · business · opinions · private beach · words
Complete using my own / your own etc. (exclusive possession or doing it yourself).
Complétez avec my own / your own etc. (possession exclusive ou faire soi-même).
Fill in: on my own / your own etc. OR by myself / yourself etc.
Complétez : on my own / your own etc. OU by myself / yourself etc.
Both forms are correct — choose either one.
Correct the mistakes (or write OK).
Corrigez les erreurs (ou écrivez OK).
Mixed practice — choose the correct form.
Pratique mixte — choisissez la bonne forme.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions fréquentes
The structure requires a possessive pronoun (mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs), not an object pronoun (me, you, him…). Think of it as: “one of my friends” → “a friend of mine”.
La structure exige un pronom possessif (mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs), pas un pronom objet. Pensez-y comme : « un de mes amis » → « a friend of mine ».
My room simply states possession. My own room adds emphasis — it stresses the room is exclusively yours (you don’t share it).
My room exprime simplement la possession. My own room ajoute de l’emphase — la pièce est exclusivement à vous.
No! Say either by myself or on my own. ✗ by my own → ✓ by myself or on my own.
Non ! Il faut dire soit by myself soit on my own. ✗ by my own → ✓ by myself ou on my own.
Never! Own must always be preceded by a possessive adjective: my own car, your own car etc. ✗ an own car → ✓ my own car.
Jamais ! Own doit toujours être précédé d’un adjectif possessif. ✗ an own car → ✓ my own car.
There is no difference in meaning — both mean alone or without help. They are completely interchangeable.
Il n’y a aucune différence de sens — les deux sont complètement interchangeables.
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a friend of mine · my own house · on my own / by myself
of mine/yours/his · my own / your own · on my own / by myself — Complete Guide
a friend of mine · my own house · on my own / by myself
of mine/yours/his · my own / your own · on my own / by myself — Guide Complet
Master three closely related structures: a friend of mine (one of my friends), my own room (exclusive possession), and on my own / by myself (alone or without help).
Maîtrisez trois structures étroitement liées : a friend of mine (un de mes amis), my own room (possession exclusive), et on my own / by myself (seul ou sans aide).
This unit covers three structures that learners often confuse. A friend of mine means “one of my friends” — never “a friend of me”. My own stresses exclusive or independent possession. On my own / by myself both mean alone or without help. Each structure has its own rules and typical errors.
Cette unité couvre trois structures que les apprenants confondent souvent. A friend of mine signifie « un de mes amis » — jamais « a friend of me ». My own souligne une possession exclusive ou indépendante. On my own / by myself signifient tous les deux seul ou sans aide.
a friend of mine / a friend of yours etc.
a friend of mine / a friend of yours etc.
We say (a friend) of mine / yours / his / hers / ours / theirs. This means “one of my/your/his… friends” — never use the object pronoun (me/you/him…) after of in this structure.
On dit (a friend) of mine / yours / his / hers / ours / theirs. Cela signifie « un de mes/tes/ses… amis » — n’utilisez jamais le pronom objet (me/you/him…) après of dans cette structure.
✓ We went on holiday with some friends of ours. (not some friends of us)
✓ Harry had an argument with a neighbour of his.
✓ It was a good idea of yours to go to the cinema.
✓ That woman is a friend of my sister’s. (= one of my sister’s friends)
| Subject pronoun | Use after “of” | ❌ Never say |
|---|---|---|
| Pronom sujet | Utiliser après « of » | ❌ Ne jamais dire |
| I | mine | of me |
| you | yours | of you |
| he | his | of him |
| she | hers | of her |
| we | ours | of us |
| they | theirs | of them |
| Tom / my sister | Tom’s / my sister’s | of Tom / of my sister |
my own … / your own … etc. — Exclusive Possession
my own … / your own … etc. — Possession Exclusive
We say my own / your own / her own etc. — never an own. Own emphasises that something belongs exclusively to you — not shared, borrowed, or given by someone else.
On dit my own / your own / her own etc. — jamais an own. Own souligne que quelque chose vous appartient exclusivement — pas partagé, emprunté ou donné par quelqu’un d’autre.
✓ Vicky and Gary would like their own house.
✓ Why don’t you use your own car? (instead of borrowing mine)
✓ I’d like a room of my own. (= my own room)
✓ He has too many problems of his own. (= his own problems)
own — Doing Things Yourself Instead of Others
own — Faire les Choses Soi-Même
We also use own to say that we do something ourselves rather than having someone else do it for us.
On utilise aussi own pour dire qu’on fait quelque chose soi-même plutôt que de faire appel à quelqu’un d’autre.
I’d like a garden so I could grow my own vegetables. (= grow them myself, not buy them)
We bake our own bread. (= we make it ourselves)
She designs her own clothes. (= she designs them herself)
on my own / by myself — Alone or Without Help
on my own / by myself — Seul ou Sans Aide
On my own and by myself both mean alone or without help. They are interchangeable. The form changes according to the subject.
On my own et by myself signifient tous les deux seul ou sans aide. Ils sont interchangeables.
on + possessive + own
by + reflexive pronoun
Some people prefer to live on their own. = … live by themselves.
Jack was sitting on his own in a corner. = Jack was sitting by himself…
Did you go on holiday on your own? = Did you go on holiday by yourself?
Rewrite using the structure “… of mine/yours/his…”.
Réécrivez en utilisant la structure « … of mine/yours/his… ».
Complete using my own / our own etc. + the word given.
Complétez avec my own / our own etc. + le mot donné.
bathroom · business · opinions · private beach · words
Complete using my own / your own etc. (exclusive possession or doing it yourself).
Complétez avec my own / your own etc. (possession exclusive ou faire soi-même).
Fill in: on my own / your own etc. OR by myself / yourself etc.
Complétez : on my own / your own etc. OU by myself / yourself etc.
Both forms are correct — choose either one.
Correct the mistakes (or write OK).
Corrigez les erreurs (ou écrivez OK).
Mixed practice — choose the correct form.
Pratique mixte — choisissez la bonne forme.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions fréquentes
The structure requires a possessive pronoun (mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs), not an object pronoun (me, you, him…). Think of it as: “one of my friends” → “a friend of mine”.
La structure exige un pronom possessif (mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs), pas un pronom objet. Pensez-y comme : « un de mes amis » → « a friend of mine ».
My room simply states possession. My own room adds emphasis — it stresses the room is exclusively yours (you don’t share it).
My room exprime simplement la possession. My own room ajoute de l’emphase — la pièce est exclusivement à vous.
No! Say either by myself or on my own. ✗ by my own → ✓ by myself or on my own.
Non ! Il faut dire soit by myself soit on my own. ✗ by my own → ✓ by myself ou on my own.
Never! Own must always be preceded by a possessive adjective: my own car, your own car etc. ✗ an own car → ✓ my own car.
Jamais ! Own doit toujours être précédé d’un adjectif possessif. ✗ an own car → ✓ my own car.
There is no difference in meaning — both mean alone or without help. They are completely interchangeable.
Il n’y a aucune différence de sens — les deux sont complètement interchangeables.
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English Courses with CPF
Formations d’Anglais avec CPF
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Utilisez votre CPF pour financer votre apprentissage de l’anglais. Sur-mesure, certifié, 100 % financé.
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Tous Nos Cours d’Anglais
Explore our complete catalogue — from general English to business English, all levels welcome.
Explorez notre catalogue complet — anglais général, anglais professionnel, tous niveaux bienvenus.
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Préparation aux Examens d’Anglais
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Préparez-vous au TOEIC, Linguaskill, Cambridge et plus — préparation structurée avec certifications officielles.
Find out moreEn savoir plus
a friend of mine · my own house · on my own / by myself
of mine/yours/his · my own / your own · on my own / by myself — Complete Guide
a friend of mine · my own house · on my own / by myself
of mine/yours/his · my own / your own · on my own / by myself — Guide Complet
Master three closely related structures: a friend of mine (one of my friends), my own room (exclusive possession), and on my own / by myself (alone or without help).
Maîtrisez trois structures étroitement liées : a friend of mine (un de mes amis), my own room (possession exclusive), et on my own / by myself (seul ou sans aide).
This unit covers three structures that learners often confuse. A friend of mine means “one of my friends” — never “a friend of me”. My own stresses exclusive or independent possession. On my own / by myself both mean alone or without help. Each structure has its own rules and typical errors.
Cette unité couvre trois structures que les apprenants confondent souvent. A friend of mine signifie « un de mes amis » — jamais « a friend of me ». My own souligne une possession exclusive ou indépendante. On my own / by myself signifient tous les deux seul ou sans aide.
a friend of mine / a friend of yours etc.
a friend of mine / a friend of yours etc.
We say (a friend) of mine / yours / his / hers / ours / theirs. This means “one of my/your/his… friends” — never use the object pronoun (me/you/him…) after of in this structure.
On dit (a friend) of mine / yours / his / hers / ours / theirs. Cela signifie « un de mes/tes/ses… amis » — n’utilisez jamais le pronom objet (me/you/him…) après of dans cette structure.
✓ We went on holiday with some friends of ours. (not some friends of us)
✓ Harry had an argument with a neighbour of his.
✓ It was a good idea of yours to go to the cinema.
✓ That woman is a friend of my sister’s. (= one of my sister’s friends)
| Subject pronoun | Use after “of” | ❌ Never say |
|---|---|---|
| Pronom sujet | Utiliser après « of » | ❌ Ne jamais dire |
| I | mine | of me |
| you | yours | of you |
| he | his | of him |
| she | hers | of her |
| we | ours | of us |
| they | theirs | of them |
| Tom / my sister | Tom’s / my sister’s | of Tom / of my sister |
my own … / your own … etc. — Exclusive Possession
my own … / your own … etc. — Possession Exclusive
We say my own / your own / her own etc. — never an own. Own emphasises that something belongs exclusively to you — not shared, borrowed, or given by someone else.
On dit my own / your own / her own etc. — jamais an own. Own souligne que quelque chose vous appartient exclusivement — pas partagé, emprunté ou donné par quelqu’un d’autre.
✓ Vicky and Gary would like their own house.
✓ Why don’t you use your own car? (instead of borrowing mine)
✓ I’d like a room of my own. (= my own room)
✓ He has too many problems of his own. (= his own problems)
own — Doing Things Yourself Instead of Others
own — Faire les Choses Soi-Même
We also use own to say that we do something ourselves rather than having someone else do it for us.
On utilise aussi own pour dire qu’on fait quelque chose soi-même plutôt que de faire appel à quelqu’un d’autre.
I’d like a garden so I could grow my own vegetables. (= grow them myself, not buy them)
We bake our own bread. (= we make it ourselves)
She designs her own clothes. (= she designs them herself)
on my own / by myself — Alone or Without Help
on my own / by myself — Seul ou Sans Aide
On my own and by myself both mean alone or without help. They are interchangeable. The form changes according to the subject.
On my own et by myself signifient tous les deux seul ou sans aide. Ils sont interchangeables.
on + possessive + own
by + reflexive pronoun
Some people prefer to live on their own. = … live by themselves.
Jack was sitting on his own in a corner. = Jack was sitting by himself…
Did you go on holiday on your own? = Did you go on holiday by yourself?
Rewrite using the structure “… of mine/yours/his…”.
Réécrivez en utilisant la structure « … of mine/yours/his… ».
Complete using my own / our own etc. + the word given.
Complétez avec my own / our own etc. + le mot donné.
bathroom · business · opinions · private beach · words
Complete using my own / your own etc. (exclusive possession or doing it yourself).
Complétez avec my own / your own etc. (possession exclusive ou faire soi-même).
Fill in: on my own / your own etc. OR by myself / yourself etc.
Complétez : on my own / your own etc. OU by myself / yourself etc.
Both forms are correct — choose either one.
Correct the mistakes (or write OK).
Corrigez les erreurs (ou écrivez OK).
Mixed practice — choose the correct form.
Pratique mixte — choisissez la bonne forme.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions fréquentes
The structure requires a possessive pronoun (mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs), not an object pronoun (me, you, him…). Think of it as: “one of my friends” → “a friend of mine”.
La structure exige un pronom possessif (mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs), pas un pronom objet. Pensez-y comme : « un de mes amis » → « a friend of mine ».
My room simply states possession. My own room adds emphasis — it stresses the room is exclusively yours (you don’t share it).
My room exprime simplement la possession. My own room ajoute de l’emphase — la pièce est exclusivement à vous.
No! Say either by myself or on my own. ✗ by my own → ✓ by myself or on my own.
Non ! Il faut dire soit by myself soit on my own. ✗ by my own → ✓ by myself ou on my own.
Never! Own must always be preceded by a possessive adjective: my own car, your own car etc. ✗ an own car → ✓ my own car.
Jamais ! Own doit toujours être précédé d’un adjectif possessif. ✗ an own car → ✓ my own car.
There is no difference in meaning — both mean alone or without help. They are completely interchangeable.
Il n’y a aucune différence de sens — les deux sont complètement interchangeables.
⚙️ Quiz Settings
Ready to take your English to the next level?
Prêt à passer votre anglais au niveau supérieur ?
Discover our expert-led courses and certifications — funded options available.
Découvrez nos cours et certifications avec des formateurs experts — options de financement disponibles.
English Courses with CPF
Formations d’Anglais avec CPF
Use your Compte Personnel de Formation to fund your English training. Tailored, certified, and 100% financed.
Utilisez votre CPF pour financer votre apprentissage de l’anglais. Sur-mesure, certifié, 100 % financé.
Find out moreEn savoir plusAll Our English Courses
Tous Nos Cours d’Anglais
Explore our complete catalogue — from general English to business English, all levels welcome.
Explorez notre catalogue complet — anglais général, anglais professionnel, tous niveaux bienvenus.
Find out moreEn savoir plusExam Preparation Courses
Préparation aux Examens d’Anglais
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Préparez-vous au TOEIC, Linguaskill, Cambridge et plus — préparation structurée avec certifications officielles.
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