My own, the very: emphasis on a noun

My own room: nobody else's

Own after my, her, their adds one idea: it is mine, and nobody else's. Not shared, not borrowed.

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1. 1her own dog
2. 2her own car
3. 3her own umbrella

The dog, the car and the umbrella are hers and nobody else's, not borrowed: her own dog, her own car, her own umbrella.

• I have my own room. - I don't share it.
• He grows his own vegetables. - he doesn't buy them.
• a house of our own - the pattern with of.

Own needs an owner word in front: my, her, their, Anna's, or of + my / her / our. An own room is not English; say my own room or a room of my own. This own never takes -s: their own rooms.

On my own is a fixed phrase. It means alone:

The very day: exactly that one

Before an adjective, very means a lot: very good. Before a noun, it means exactly this one, and no other:

Very here needs the, this, that or my in front: the very day, never very day alone.

It can also mean just the idea of it:

Common mistakes