The work hardening and the microstructure evolution of the alloys AlMg0.5, AlMg1, AlMg3 and AlMn1 have been examined during cold rolling to large strains. Variations in grain sizes are also considered. The results are compared to the ALFLOW model for work hardening, which demonstrates that it is possible to obtain a good fit. Results from SEM and TEM show that the deformation structure is highly inhomogeneous with some local grain break-up. This break-up is quantified by orientation imaging microscopy in SEM. The AlMg-alloys all show the same trend with a break-up factor of 2-2.5. The AlMn-alloy break up more in the early stages, probably due to particles. Subgrain misorientation seems to increase with Mg-content and with strain in stage IV. The nearly constant theta(IV) for all the alloys may be related to this.