Teach me: alone, on my own, by myself. When and how to use them.

[AllQuietOnThePippisFront]

English not my first language and I have always wondered when one should use one or the other.

thanks.

I don't think it really matters, I might stand corrected but I think they're just different ways of saying exactly the same thing, but I would instinctively use them for different things.

For example;

I want to do it alone.

(I would presume the person wanted to be in a room by themselves with nobody around)

I want to do it by myself.

(I would presume the person wanted to do the thing without any help, but not necessarily with nobody in the room)

I want to do it on my own.

(Either of above)

Maybe someone will come and enlighten both of us!

I think that may be one of those impossible frustrating 'you just know which one sounds right' things - I often had the same problem in French and it seemed to me that whichever one I used I would get corrected to the other

My DD's current refrain is "I can do it by my own"

Stealth yes my DD says the same.

hmmSleep I am clearer I seem to rememebr an explanation along your lines given at an English class some years ago.

It's the on my own and by myself that mainly confuse me. And yes 'natives' know which one to use by habit but nobody will tell me and I always get it wrong.
I will never do it right until I know the rule, if there's one.

THanks.