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How to Stop Saying “Um,” “Ah,” and “You Know”

• Noah Zandan

To eliminate filler words, understand the role they play in your speech.

When you get rattled while speaking — whether you’re nervous, distracted, or at a loss for what comes next — it’s easy to lean on filler words, such as “um,” “ah,” or “you know.” These words can become crutches that diminish our credibility and distract from our message. To eliminate such words from your speech, replace them with pauses. To train yourself to do this, take these three steps. First, identify your crutch words and pair them with an action. Every time you catch yourself saying “like,” for example, tap your leg. Once you’ve become aware of your filler words as they try to escape your lips, begin forcing yourself to be silent. Finally, practice more than you think you should. The optimal ratio of preparation to performance is one hour of practice for every minute of presentation.

• Noah Zandan  is the CEO and Co-Founder of  Quantified Communications , a firm that combines data and behavioral analytics to help people measure and strengthen the way they communicate. Quantified Communications works globally with leaders of corporations, government organizations, higher education institutions, sales teams, nonprofits, and hundreds of TED speakers.

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Tips on Public Speaking: Eliminating the Dreaded “Um”

Learn how to remove filler words from formal speeches to present with confidence.

Steven D. Cohen

It is difficult for me to watch political speeches. After all, I know that I am going to hear one alarming word over and over again. It’s not “debt,” “deficit,” or “downturn.” It’s “um.”

Filler words like “um” may seem natural in everyday speech, but they do not belong in formal presentations or speeches. Powerful public speakers work hard to eliminate words such as “um,” “uh,” “well,” “so,” “you know,” “er,” and “like” from their vocabulary so that their listeners can focus solely on their message. Through practice and persistence, you can too.

So, like, why am I saying “um”?

Why do we use filler words? The simplest answer is that we have been conditioned to answer questions immediately from an early age. When our mother or father asked us a question, we were sure to answer right away—either because we wanted to show respect or because we were afraid of what would happen if we didn’t answer. Consequently, we feel the urge to speak when spoken to.

Some people argue that filler words serve an important purpose such as making a speaker sound more “natural” or “real.” In fact, Michael Erard wrote a book on this very subject. But just because filler words are fairly common in everyday speech does not mean that they are useful. In fact, they often detract from the listener’s ability to understand a particular message.

There are two places where filler words commonly appear: at the beginning of a statement and in between ideas. See what happens the next time you answer a question. You might say “um” or “uh” right away without even thinking. Then when you are finished discussing your first idea, you may be tempted to use another filler word as you decide what to say next.

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You can think of these two “filler word hot spots” in the context of a two paragraph essay. The first hot spot would be the tab before the first paragraph, and the second hot spot would be the white space between the first and second paragraphs.

When you use a filler word such as “um,” you are thinking verbally. In other words, you are verbalizing your thought process. Armed with this information, it is easy to realize that the best way to avoid using filler words is to pause. If you are not speaking, you can’t say “um”!

Removing “um” from your vocabulary

The next time you are asked a question, take a couple seconds to think about what you want to say. This pause serves two important purposes: it will help you begin powerfully, and it will help you avoid using a filler word. Pause, think, answer.

The same public speaking technique applies when you are transitioning from one idea to another. While you may be tempted to fill the silence between ideas with a filler word, remember to pause and give yourself a moment to think about what you want to say next. It is important that you don’t begin speaking until you are ready.  Remember: Pause, think, answer.

It may feel unnatural to pause, especially since you have responded to questions right away for your entire life. I assure you that you will deliver more powerful responses and reduce your chance of using filler words if you give yourself time to think.

Can’t seem to shake the habit? Ask for help.

If you need help overcoming your “um” problem, consider asking a co-worker, family member, or friend to point out when you use filler words. You also could record an upcoming presentation and then watch yourself in action. You may be amazed at how often you say “um” or “uh”!

Although we live in a fast-paced society that seemingly demands instant answers, we must use the pause to our advantage. We may feel pressure to answer right away, but ultimately, we should only speak when we are ready.

Do you agree? I would like to hear what you think so leave a comment.  But, please, don’t use any “ums.”

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About the Author

Steven D. Cohen is an internationally known expert on leadership communication, executive presence, and persuasive speaking. He is an accomplished scholar and dynamic trainer who has brought research-based insights to companies in a wide range of industries. Cohen is well known for helping leaders communicate with confidence, influence, and authority. He has been quoted in media outlets such as the Financial Times, Slate, HuffPost, Vanity Fair, New York Magazine, and NBC News. Cohen also was featured in the BBC Radio documentary, “Churchill’s Secret Cabinet.” He is a long-time instructor at the Harvard Division of Continuing Education and holds a faculty appointment at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School.

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• Dealing with filler words in a presentation

How to avoid filler words and become a more effective speaker

The use of filler words is very common when we engage in a conversation or when we give a business presentation. They serve the purpose of giving us time to rearrange our ideas before we continue speaking but, unfortunately, they diminish the impact of the message we are trying to convey. Read on to learn some tips to avoid using these words and become a more effective speaker.

What are "filler words"?

“Filler words” is a broad term used to describe speech fillers. They can be sounds, such as um…, uh…, ah…, mm…; words as basically, actually, literally ; or filler phrases as I think that…, you know…, what I am trying to say is…, etc. They usually do not convey any meaning and can be suppressed without any loss.

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What is the problem with filler words?

On the one hand, filler words represent a type of verbal static, since they contribute nothing to your speech and have to be filtered by the audience. In this sense, they can become a communication barrier, especially if they are repeatedly used.

On the other hand, the abuse of filler words can damage the credibility of your speech, because they tend to be perceived as lack of preparation, lack of knowledge or lack of real passion about the topic. All of these perceptions are negative when you are trying to present a business idea or when you need to communicate the results of a business strategy.

Five tips to avoid filler words

1. First of all, it is necessary to assess how often you use filler words in your presentations. This can be achieved via three very simple methods.

• Ask a member of the audience or a colleague to track your use of filler words and to give you feedback on the impact they have on your speech.
• Use a voice recorder while you are speaking and evaluate your use of filler words.
• Record a video of your presentations so you can have visual feedback on your use of filler words and the facial expressions which accompany them.

Once you have done this, make sure to evaluate not only the frequency with which you insert filler words in your speech, but also if these words are distracting or prejudicial for the credibility and clarity of your presentations.

2. It is also important to understand the reasons why you are using filler words in order to avoid them. Like it was mentioned before, these words usually give us the opportunity to rearrange ideas, but unless you are engaged in a conversation and want to signal to the other person that you have not finished speaking, they are usually meaningless.

When you are giving a presentation, it is perfectly normal to make a pause before continuing to express an idea. You do not need to fill those pauses; to stay in silence for a few seconds conveys you are thinking without giving the impression you feel anxious or unprepared.

3. Make sure you always prepare your presentations. The use of filler words tends to be inversely proportional to the amount of preparation you have on a topic; this is to say that, if you are improvising a speech, your brain will have to “create” the ideas on the fly (instead of “recuperating” them from memory), and you will feel more compelled to fill the time this takes with sounds and meaningless words. Also, lack of preparation can produce nervousness and the impulse speak faster which, in turn, will make more likely that your brain is unable to keep up with that pace.

4. When you prepare a presentation, make sure to avoid cramming it with content. Be realistic about the time constrains you have in relation to the ideas you need to present. If you force too much content on a presentation, you will be forced to speak faster and your brain will be working harder to keep up. Keeping the contents limited gives you the opportunity to slow down, therefore reducing the temptation of using filler words, and the advantage of making your speech more easily understandable for your audience.

5. Every so often monitor your progress by stepping back and performing the assessment tasks on point 1. Compare your results and keep practising these recommendations.

Final thoughts

So, there you have it, five tips which will help you to avoid using filler words and to become a more effective speaker. Remember that these sort of speech interferences are natural when we are trying to rearrange ideas, but that their abuse may damage the impression you give to your audience and the clarity of your message. Practice the tips, be patient, constant and evaluate your progress from time to time. Without a doubt, if you implement these strategies, you will stop feeling the need to use filler words, and the impact of your business presentations will improve. As always, if you have further questions or if you would like some advice, please leave us a comment or contact us on our Facebook page. If you liked this article, then don’t hesitate to share it with your friends. 

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How to Stop Saying “Um” When Presenting

How to stop saying “Um” is one of the most common public speaking concerns. “Um” is a filler word, and they’re a natural part of everyday conversation. A surprising fact, though, is that you’ll actually sound strange (or even fake) to your audience if you don’t use any filler. So, don’t be afraid to use the occasional filler word every now and then.

However, there is a negative impact to using them too much. They certainly shouldn’t be a major part of your speeches and presentations. Excessive use of filler words has the potential to detract from your message, so as you become more and more comfortable speaking in front of a group, it might be a good idea to fine-tune your message by reducing these distractions.

The best speakers in the world have trained themselves, over time, to minimize their use of fillers. (Notice that I said minimize, not eliminate.) Excessive use frustrates the audience and makes the speaker less credible. With a bit of practice, though, you can use fewer filler words as well.

What Exactly Counts as a Filler Word?

The term ‘Filler word’ is commonly used for different kinds of additions to a speech or presentation and may include such things as the following:

• Sounds: um, uhhhm, ah, er
• Helping words: ‘probably’, ‘actually’, and ‘reasonably’
• Phrases: ‘You know,’ ‘relatively speaking,’ ‘I believe that,’ and ‘what I’m trying to say is’

Here’s an even bigger list of sounds, phrases, and words:

Image source: SpeakerHub

Using Filler Phrases Isn’t the Worst Thing… It Can Even Be Good

Keep in mind that if you say or use these terms and filler phrases every once in a while in a speech, it’s not a big deal. In fact, you will sound very natural, and that’s a good thing. Filler words are part of everyday speech and casual conversations. However, if you have a bad habit of using the same filler over and over, your audience will likely perceive you as being nervous or not in control.  So, do not — under any circumstances — try to eliminate filler words all together!  The filler words that we use, on occasion, make us normal and relatable.

In 2000, George W. Bush had a series of debates with Al Gore. Gore, the current Vice President at the time, was also a skilled and polished debater. After every debate, the pundits would talk about the performance of each candidate. The news program talking head would say, “So, who won the debate?” The consensus was clear, “Al Gore,” “Al Gore,” “Oh, hands down, Al Gore.” Interestingly, though, when the focus groups asked the question, “Who do you best relate to?” or “Who did you like better?” the non-partisan focus group participants mostly favored George W. Bush. Gore was polished, not a filler word in sight. But Bush seemed more, well, human.

The same thing occurred in the Primaries in 2016. Ted Cruz was the polished no filler word speaker, and Donald Trump was the more spontaneous speaker. Donald Trump received a lot more votes, though.

Reduce Filler With a Filler Speech Assessment

If you want to learn how to stop saying um and other filler phrases, you’ll need self awareness for what you need to improve on in the first place. We recommend doing an assessment. After all, you can’t make improvements if you don’t know where to begin.

There are two ways to analyze your speech patterns, and they’re easy to do:

Make an audio or video recording of yourself

Do this while you’re on stage, not when you’re practicing. The relaxed atmosphere when you’re practicing is different from the charged up energy in a room full of audience members. The conditions have to be authentic. Listen to the recording and list the different types of fillers you hear, then tally up how many times you hear each word (e.g. um- 5, ah – 3)

Recruit someone from the audience or your team

Give the person a sheet of paper with commonly used filler words. Then, ask them to count how many number of ums and other verbal crutches you use.

Special Note: This is an advanced fine-tuning process, so be careful using this technique if you’re nervous or feel uncomfortable speaking in front of an audience. Filler words are a common symptom of nervousness, and having someone count your filler words is likely just to make you feel more nervous if you are already anxious in front of a group of a lot of people.

Incorporate Techniques Such as Information Chunking

You know how some speakers talk so fast one minute and then run out of things to say after that? Those speakers don’t practice information chunking. Chunking is organizing the ideas of your talk or speech, and then talking about them in distinguished ‘chunks’ or groups, leaving a brief pause in between each chunk. For example, you’re talking about the future of resumes, a possible chunking order would be:

• Resume formats right now: infographics, pdf, and videos
• Potential resume formats: holograms and app-based resumes
• What resume writers can do to adapt

In that example, you’ll talk about current resume formats first, then pause before discussing futuristic formats. Doing this minimizes the use of filler words because it organizes your talk and gives you a chance to catch a breath and think of what to say next. It’s also helpful in reducing long pauses and helping create a natural amount of time when transitioning to a new topic.

By the way, “Chunking” is the technique that we use when we teach presenters how to design and deliver great speeches. You can find details about this technique in  How to Design a Presentation Quickly .

Present in the Form of a Story

Filler sounds and phrases minimize once you get wrapped up telling a story. Ever notice how people rarely use filler words when telling a story to their friends? The technique also works phenomenally well when delivering business presentations. Because you know the story so well, you don’t have to gather your thoughts or think hard about what to say, so the speech comes out like it’s second nature.

As an added bonus, people love listening to stories! They also make your speech much more memorable.

I often end my two-day Fearless Presentations ® classes by going over a list of the 10 Deadly Sins that Turn Off Audiences. (#9 on the list is using too many filler words.) When I go over the list, I typically ask the class, “How many of these things did we eliminate in the class?” Most often, the answer is, “Well, most if not all of them.” The interesting thing about this is that we NEVER cover how to eliminate filler words in the class. Filler words are a symptom of nervousness. We reduce those filler words by reducing nervousness. We reduce the nervousness by making stories and examples a big part of the presentations that the class members design. So, if you find yourself using a lot of filler words, the best way to reduce them is to tell more stories.

Prepare Your Transitions to Prevent Depending on Filler

Transition phrases or words are different from filler speech. Whereas ‘um’ makes it obvious that you don’t know what your next sentence will be, “Let’s move on to…” gives you a chance to gather your wits discreetly. Therefore, if you have your transition phrases and words prepared beforehand, you won’t be caught with the kind of uncomfortable silence that leads to using filler words.

In the Fearless Presentations® public speaking class, we coach participants to have a clear idea of just a few, most important, bullet points (versus having dozens of points and slides). So, as a result, just numbering off the next point is a natural transition. “Point number two is…” or “the next point that we’ll be covering is…” will sound very natural even during formal presentations, and they are simple ways to transition from one major point to the next without sounding repetitive.

Practice Your Presentation, People!

Next time you’re about to say ‘um,’ try to stop yourself immediately. It might feel awkward to hear the sound of silence where there would normally be filler noises, but it’ll get easier in the long run as you practice the strategies above. As your speaking habits improve, your awkward pauses and filler words will minimize until you can’t notice them yourself.

Keep in mind that the absolute best way to minimize your filler words is to reduce your fear of public speaking, and the absolute best way to eliminate the public speaking fear is to get a good coach and practice in a controlled environment. That is why thousands of people, every year, choose to participate in the Fearless Presentations® public speaking class. If you want to reduce those filler words for good, make sure and attend an upcoming class!

If You Need Additional Help, A Good Public Speaking Class Can Do Wonders

Obviously, we are biased, but the  Fearless Presentations ® course  can really help people who have nervousness when they present, and as a result, they use a lot of filler words. The link to the class will show you the curriculum as well as a schedule of upcoming classes. Whether you go to our class or not, if you struggle giving presentations, a good class can really help!

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Speak Like a Professional: How To Stop Using Filler Words

So, like, umm, and yeah.

In conversation, most people use what are called filler words like these, also referred to as “crutch” words.

Excessive use of these words, however, can make whatever point we’re trying to get across sound less important or meaningful, and may even tune your listeners out.

While using filler words occasionally isn’t necessarily a big deal, too much use of them will hinder your ability to position yourself as a fluent speaker.

What are Filler Words & Why People Use Them

Filler words like um , like, and uh litter many of our conversations. Although these little words don’t add meaning to your statements, they do perform a function in conversations. They allow you to take a second and think about what you’re going to say next. They let the person you are having a conversation with know that you’re not quite finished speaking yet, even if you’ve paused for a moment. They often even fill an awkward silence.

While typically acceptable in normal conversations, filler words can be detrimental to public speaking. Using a filler word may make it sound like you have forgotten what you’re about to say next. They break your audience’s attention from your message.

How to Stop Using Filler Words & Eliminate Them from Your Vocabulary

There are a number of techniques we can use to reduce (or completely eliminate) our use of verbal crutches– whether it’s in a formal presentation or in everyday conversation. To be clear, filler words aren’t a problem if they’re used infrequently. Even in a professional presentation, most listeners will expect a few um’s and ah’s. Only when the usage of meaningless words becomes a regular occurrence is when using filler words becomes a problem.

Below, I have listed a few methods you can try to help you get rid of filler words and become a more fluent and confident speaker.

Most new public speakers have a wide range of physiological and psychological symptoms when coping with glossophobia, or the fear of public speaking. When we’re worried, we tend to speak faster and use more filler words in our speech.

Because many people automatically speed up when they are nervous, scared, or worried, slowing down may be easier said than done. You’ll be able to recognize and avoid reliance on go-to verbal crutches far more readily if you can slow down your delivery—whether it’s at a company meeting, telling a friend a story, or during a TedTalk.

Slowing down your speech will help you be more aware of your thoughts, helping whatever idea or talking points you have come out easier and more fluid in presentations.

Instead of using fillers in your speeches, you should practice embracing the power of the pause in your talk. All great public speakers are masters of the pause.

They are comfortable with silences. When they are moving on to the next point or holding for dramatic effect, they take a deep breath, stay relaxed and keep smiling before saying anything. They know that the pause is a key part of good public speaking.

Since we use filler words so often, cutting them from your vernacular and replacing them with pauses may feel unnatural.

That’s why it’s so important to practice your presentation. Practice a few rounds of your presentation focusing heavily on the filler words. Once actively focus on the filler words, you will notice how much, or how little, you say them. Then, actively catch yourself in the moment and use a pause to replace it.

That pause will show your audience that you are confident in your speaking abilities and keep them engaged in your presentation.

Record Yourself

Recording oneself is an excellent approach to build a sense of awareness of filler words. It’s difficult to know how you sound unless you really hear yourself. This is why it’s so important to take a step back and review a video of yourself. Listen to how often you tend to use filler words when you are speaking.

You should practice and video record any key speech at least 3 to 5 times. Examine your audio after each attempt and keep track of how many filler words you used. Also, look at your body language to help you master your stage presence even more.

After that, count the number of filler words in your speech and go over it again.

During your free time, you can practice impromptu speaking. Choose a random topic or object and speak for at least one minute about it without using crutch words.

Present in Front of Others

A great way to mind your fillers and improve as a speaker is by practicing in front of a trusted audience before presenting your speech or presentation. This allows you to get more comfortable speaking to an audience while getting honest and constructive feedback on your use of crutch words. 

 By utilizing your network of friends, family, coworkers, and so on, you can run through your presentation while someone keeps track of your “likes,” “you know,” and “ums.”

Your trusted audience will act as a sounding board for how you can improve your speech overall as well. They may express that you need to touch more on your important points, use a more confident voice, stay relaxed, take more pauses, and so forth. These comments can help you visualize your speech from the audience’s perspective and incorporate their feedback in your speaking.

Create Awareness

All of these exercises should help you become more conscious of your speech patterns. This is not the point where you should pass judgment on yourself or try to make things better straight soon. Simply start paying attention to the filler words you say the most and when you say them. To begin removing fillers from your speaking, you must become conscious of your favorite filler words and notice your own pattern of usage.

You will reach a point when you are more aware of your filler word patterns. You will subconsciously start catching yourself just before you use your filler word and make an active decision not to. You’ll be more focused and present in your delivery, making these words a rare occurrence in your speech. With the practice of these procedures, awareness will emerge.

Forcing yourself to observe other people’s speech patterns can also help you become more aware of how often you use the word “like” informal conversations, say “uh” before answering questions, or start sentences with an unnecessary “so” during a business meeting.  

Expand Your Vocabulary

We also tend to use fillers when we’re not confident in our speech or when we can’t seem to find the right words. By expanding your vocabulary, you will have a much larger repertoire of words at your disposal. It will also allow you to improve your written and spoken communication abilities, be more confident, and use fewer filler words.

If you want to expand your public speaking vocabulary, make it a habit to learn new words on a regular basis and write them down. Keep a thesaurus and dictionary nearby so that whenever you come across a word that you don’t understand, look it up, and take the time to commit the word and its definition to memory. You can then figure out the best context in which to use that word and use it in a sentence next time the topic comes up.

The golden rule: practice, practice, practice.

Practicing will help you gain the confidence you need to eliminate fillers and improve your delivery. It allows you to strengthen your presenting skills and perfect the message you want to get across to your audience, without the use of crutch words.

While it may seem time-consuming and annoying at first, practice helps prevent you from getting nervous during your speech and reverting to filler words you have focused on getting rid of. In other words, the more you practice, the more comfortable you will feel speaking and presenting without the crutch of fillers.

We are more focused and effective in our delivery when we are prepared for any communication scenario. To cement healthy habits in our arsenal of talents, we should practice using the tools described above to remove filler words and feel more confident when we speak. Practice is an absolutely critical part of ridding these fillers from our speech.

The usage of filler words is a bad habit. Begin removing them from your vocabulary by forming new, healthy habits that will define your speaking and leadership abilities, as well as your future! You create your own habits by consciously choosing them. Practice them and get rid of the ones that don’t work for you.

Reference these tools to help reduce your reliance on fillers. Practicing and preparing are essential to your ability to communicate your message with passion and fervor. The more you plan and prepare, the more confidence you will have when you finally stand up to speak. Start today and check out my FREE 5-minute speech PDF to help you plan for your next speech!

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About Brian Tracy — Brian is recognized as the top sales training and personal success authority in the world today. He has authored more than 60 books and has produced more than 500 audio and video learning programs on sales, management, business success and personal development, including worldwide bestseller The Psychology of Achievement. Brian's goal is to help you achieve your personal and business goals faster and easier than you ever imagined. You can follow him on Twitter , Facebook , Pinterest , Linkedin and Youtube .

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So, Um, How Do You, Like, Stop Using Filler Words?

By Christopher Mele

• Feb. 24, 2017

So, how do you, like, um, stop using verbal fillers that can make you sound, you know, nervous or not so smart?

Is there a name for this?

Communications experts describe “um,” “aah,” “you know” and similar expressions as discourse markers, interjections or verbal pauses.

They often occur when we are trying to think of the next thing we are going to say, Susan Mackey-Kallis, an associate professor at Villanova University who teaches public speaking, said in an email.

When stakes are high or we are nervous — in a job or media interview, or during a speech, presentation or conference call — we tend not to breathe as much and we talk faster, so our words get ahead of our thoughts, Lisa B. Marshall, a communications expert and the author of “ Smart Talk: The Public Speaker’s Guide to Success in Every Situation ,” said in an interview.

In some cases, the phrases are used to signal that you are about to say something and that the person listening should not interrupt, or that you are going to say something you want to emphasize, said Emily Tucker Prud’hommeaux, an assistant professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology and a leader of its Computational Linguistics and Speech Processing Lab .

“In fact, if you listen to someone use ‘like,’ you’ll sometimes notice that the next noun or verb or adjective that comes along sounds more prominent,” she said in an email. “You want the listener to pay attention.”

Does this make me sound stupid?

In short, everyone relies on verbal fillers.

Ms. Marshall said she had not seen any research attributing speech patterns to certain demographics but had noticed that “like” is used heavily by the younger generation, “so” by those in their 30s and “uptick” or “upspeak” — ending a declarative sentence in such a way that it sounds like a question — by women in their 20s and 30s.

Ms. Mackey-Kallis said “like,” as a speech affectation of young speakers, is perceived as “cool” or “generational speak.”

“You will notice that ‘like’ often infects the speech patterns of 20-somethings more so than the speech of 40-somethings,” she wrote.

“The use of the verbal pause ‘like’ conveys social solidarity among members of this age cohort, but is perceived as less intelligent by older listeners.”

If everyone does it, what’s the harm?

“Once you start into the pattern, it becomes a crutch,” Ms. Marshall said. It is not uncommon for people to use filler phrases such as “like,” “so” and “you know,” but it becomes a problem when the phrases are overused to the point of distraction.

She compared it to vulgarity: The occasional use is acceptable but when too frequent, it loses its meaning and signals to listeners that the person speaking is lazy about language.

It also matters when the speech “disfluency” occurs, Ms. Marshall said. If it happens before a thought is expressed, the speaker is more likely to be perceived as lacking confidence or competence, or as being unprepared. If it happens in the middle of a thought, the speaker is judged less harshly.

Speakers who are well known in their professions but overuse verbal pauses are still perceived as credible because they have built a reputation. Audience members will chalk up those habits to just the way they talk, Ms. Marshall said.

For instance, when Justice Antonin Scalia of the Supreme Court spoke, his “discourse was nearly always crammed with fillers,” Sean P. O’Rourke, director of the Center for Speaking and Listening at Sewanee: The University of the South, in Tennessee, noted in an email.

But newcomers who use as many interjections as seasoned professionals will be seen as less credible because they do not have the years of experience.

Andy Mangum, a speech instructor at Brookhaven College in Dallas, said in an email that “so” had become the new “like.”

“I noticed it happening frequently in interviews,” he said. “People are asked a question, and they preface their answer with an elongated ‘soooo. …’ It used to sound intelligent. Now, not so much.”

How do you, like, stop it then?

Awareness is the first step, Ms. Marshall said. She recommended that clients record themselves in conversations and listen to the recordings five minutes a day for two weeks.

“Trust me, after a week of listening, or recording and listening, you’ll have become acutely aware of your specific problems,” she wrote in a blog post . “You need to be able to hear your disfluencies in your mind before you blurt them out.”

Speakers need to relax and take a deep breath when finishing a thought. A focus on breathing will make it more difficult to introduce a wayward expression.

Substitute silence for the verbal fillers, Ms. Marshall added. That might be awkward at first, but it is better to have a moment of quiet than a distracting “you know” or “um.”

Ms. Prud’hommeaux suggested a more hands-on approach: “If no one has come up with it yet, maybe we need an app that would shock you whenever it hears you say ‘like.’ Or hire a friend to punch you whenever you say it.”

Connection. Inspiration. Transformation.

• Jan 24, 2023

How to reduce filler words in your presentation

I want to talk about a topic we can all relate to: how to use fewer “umms” and “ahhs” in your presentation. Otherwise known as fillers —short sounds, words, or phrases that create a pause or indicate to someone that we’re not done talking.

We all do it. To wit:

Um , uh , oh , er , ah

You know, you see, right

I mean, I guess, I suppose, I know

In reality, there’s nothing “technically” wrong will filler sounds and words. We all say them and we usually say them without conscious thought. Academics call them disfluencies because they disrupt the normal flow of speech. American linguist Noam Chomsky referred to filler words as just mistakes in language. In fact, every language has them. The French say “eu” and “em,” Spanish speakers say “eh” and “este” and Japanese say “eto.” There is even a sign in American Sign Language for “um.”

The problem is that filler sounds and words can inhibit our ability to communicate clearly .

Having strong verbal communication skills is still a key indicator of career success.

That’s what this post is about: how to use fewer filler words in your presentation. First, we’ll consider why we use filler words and some of the dangers they represent. Then I’ll outline a five-step process for reducing your dependency on filler words. After you read this post, you should have some actionable ideas about what you can do to speak more smoothly and clearly.

This post is drawn in part from the NobleEdge leadership workshop, The Art of Skilled Presentations . In addition to learning about how to use your mind and body to increase your presentation skills, participants practice and present with each other to learn how to make their presentations impactful and memorable.

Now, on to the post!

Why we use filler words

One of the most common reasons we use filler words is to hold the audience’s attention while we figure out what to say next. We use them because deep inside we’re concerned that if we aren’t uttering some thing, they’re going to interrupt. Or leave. It’s a type of verbal gesture to indicate: “Wait. I’m not done yet.”

People often use filler words when they’re trying to think and speak at the same time. That’s why they often appear during transitions in your presentation. In that micro-second pause, your brain is trying to figure out its next move.

Another reason we use them is cultural . The “Valley Girl” phenomenon in the 1980’s had an entire generation inserting the word “like” everywhere. Saying “you know” at the end of every sentence became huge in the 1990’s and is still going strong today (unfortunately).

People also can use filler words to convince someone or gain agreement . I once had a colleague who used the word “right” at the end of most of her sentences. It not only became irritating, it also set her up for confrontation if someone actually didn’t agree with her. You know what I’m saying, right? …you get my point.

Dangers of filler sounds and words

Everybody uses some filler sounds and words from time to time. It can become part of our speech pattern and as such, they become normal and we don’t even know we are using them.

The problem is overuse . When we overuse filler words, we undermine our credibility . The filler words become crutches. Or worse, they make it more difficult for our audience to understand our point. (If you want to watch a painful example, here’s a YouTube video of Caroline Kennedy when she was being interviewed on her run for the US Senate.)

Experts have found that overusing filler words undermines the effectiveness of communication. Speakers come across as nervous, lacking confidence or generally unprepared. Use of filler words also has been attributed to indifference or lack of knowledge.

At worst, filler words have been attributed to an indication of lying. For example, if you are talking with someone and they are using more filler words than they usually do, research says they might be lying to you. People who are fibbing may pause more often as they are searching for what to say next.

Now that we have a better understanding of the reasons why filler sounds and words sneak into our conversations and the dangers they can present, let’s look at a five-step process for reducing them in our presentations.

Step 1—Become aware of your speech patterns

To use a cliché, the first step in overcoming a problem is to admit you have a problem. We use filler words so often in our daily discussions that we don’t even notice how often we use them. So, you will benefit from becoming aware of your speech patterns.

Take me. When I was a girl in high school, I said “like” all the time. It was, like, ubiquitous . Drove my Mom nuts. When she complained that I said it all the time, I didn’t believe her. So, she took it upon herself to increase my awareness. Every time I’d say “like,” she’d repeat the word back to me. It irritated me at first, but then I had to admit: She was right. I did say “like” too much! (Her approach worked, by the way. I stopped.)

You can do the same thing.

Take your next presentation and present it to family or friends. Better yet, while you’re doing that, record yourself. Have them point out every instance of a filler word or replay the recording and identify how often you use a filler word.

Like my teenage self, you might be surprised. When you bring this otherwise invisible fact to your awareness, you’ll be able to influence more control over it.

(Side note: please be kind to yourself. The goal is not to eliminate 100% filler words. Rather, it is to reduce the occurrence of them. Using filler words from time to time doesn’t make you a terrible speaker.)

Step 2—Chunk out your information

One of the most common reasons we insert filler words is because we’re talking too quickly or grasping for our next thought. To overcome this, take your presentation and chunk it. That is, break it into phrases. Chunks that you can speak clearly and then pause on purpose. That way, you’re hopping from chunk to chunk. You get into a rhythm: phrase/pause/phrase/pause.

It might feel awkward at first—like crossing your arms the opposite way. However, by speaking a phrase at a time, you reduce the need for a filler word. You will find this provides a smoother flow to your speech.

This approach works best when you have a prepared speech. If you are having a normal conversation, try to speak one thought at a time. Slow down.

Step 3—Plan your transitions

As I said earlier, one of the reasons we use filler words is that we mentally “hiccup” during our transitions to the next topic in your presentation. That “um” is you gathering your thoughts for a second.

So instead of “um” or “ahh,” plan your transitions with such alternative phrases as “Now, let’s move to the next topic” or “Let’s transition to talking about . . .”

Transitions become signposts, telling your audience where you’re headed next. It’s obvious to you, but not necessarily to them. Make it obvious—and remove an opportunity for a filler word. A caution here: President Ronald Reagan was notorious for using the word, “Well…” in his transitions to the point it became ridiculous. Note to self: mix it up.

Step 4—Embrace the pause

We’re so afraid of pauses in our presentation—even tiny ones. It seems interminable, those few seconds. To calm ourselves, or to prevent being interrupted, we cram in an “umm” or an “ahh.”

It’s okay to pause during a presentation. In fact, it makes for a more compelling presentation. Don’t be afraid that your audience will think you’ve forgotten what to say. Actually, strategically placed pauses not only capture the attention of your audience, they strengthen your aura of credibility and confidence.

If you are really concerned about being interrupted during a pause, try using a gentle hand gesture to let people know you are still talking. (Be polite, though!). Or be outright and say, “Just a moment,” then collect your thoughts to continue.

See: The power of silence in presentations

Step 5—Prepare

This should go without saying, shouldn’t it? But you’d be surprised how few people adequately prep for their speeches or presentations. And preparing means actually giving the presentation—to friends or family or during your commute—not just silently reading it to yourself off hard copy.

The less prepared you are, the more nervous you’ll be and the more nervous you are the more likely you are to use filler words. The more you practice, the calmer you’ll be.

See: How to get better at public speaking.

Filler words pop into our presentation when we’re nervous or searching for our next thought. They can distract your audience and they are credibility diminishers if they’re overused. When the time comes for your next presentation, increase your awareness of filler words, break your presentation into manageable phrases, plan your transitions, use pauses and prepare. I’m sure you’ll see immediate improvement, greater confidence and better communication skills.

Right? (sorry, I couldn’t resist)

Marie Tjernlund is the Co-founder and President of NobleEdge Consulting. As an accomplished executive coach, certified Conflict Dynamics Profile® facilitator, and a professional performer, Marie brings her positive energy and enthusiasm to clients around the world. You can contact her at [email protected] .

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How to Stop Saying “Um” in Presentations (What to Do Instead)

by Janice Tomich

• Presentation Planning & Public Speaking Skills

One question I’m often asked as an  executive public speaking coach  is how to stop the habit of using filler words while delivering presentations or talking with colleagues.

The people asking me how to stop saying um are usually people who have taken Toastmasters’ rule about errant ums and ahs to heart.

My response? When we communicate in everyday conversation, it’s natural to use a few vocal fillers like these.

It’s weird (and unnatural) to not use a few, occasionally.

However, overusing vocal fillers can be a distraction and will bruise your credibility.

Table of Contents

Why Do We Use Vocal Fillers?

Vocal fillers, or vocal disfluencies, are a  break in fluid conversation . You might find yourself using filler words for a number of reasons:

• Nervousness
• Being unfocussed or distracted
• When using unfamiliar concepts or words
• If you’re talking too quickly.

Your brain works in retrieval mode and offers out ums or ahs to fill the time until you regulate yourself or are able to retrieve the concepts and find that ‘just right’ word you’re trying to remember.

Fillers are verbal crutches that give your brain an opportunity to gather your thoughts and get back on track.

Examples of Common Filler Words

We’ve all heard them. We all use them.

When Is Using a Filler Word or Two Not a Problem?

Vocal dysfluency is not a problem when it’s infrequent and happens as often as it would in the natural rhythm of relaxed conversation.

We expect to hear vocal fillers and would find it odd to not hear or use them in day-to-day conversation.

There are very few people who are able to communicate without incorporating a few ums or ahhs.

If you’re feeling unheard or misunderstood, I can help.

When Do Filler Words Become Problematic?

Filler words only become a problem when they are used excessively, because overuse can make you appear unprepared and/or unrehearsed. Your credibility will suffer when you stall and try to articulate words that don’t flow easily off of your tongue.

To be confident in your words, and how you deliver them, you have to be polished and at ease.

Here are 10 tips to help you stop overusing vocal fillers. These are especially helpful if you’re practicing for an upcoming public speaking event.

Ten Tips to Stop Using Vocal Fillers

1. be patient.

Be patient and forgiving with yourself. Eliminating vocal fillers entirely is unachievable—and not even desirable. Expect that you will still use a few filler words in your speech. If you are someone who relies on crutch words and filler wounds a lot, consider your objective to be to eradicate the majority of them, not to completely obliterate them.

2. Awareness

If you have trouble separating your ego from critique, creating a space for self awareness can be challenging. However, it’s worth it. Really and truly seeing yourself and how you communicate requires putting on an analyst’s hat and looking at your own communication habits objectively.

Often we are so hard on ourselves that all we see is the mistakes. Take the time to see both what you did well – where the cadence of your words moves fluidly (and you know will inspire your audience) and where you need improvement – where you stumbled and used ums and ahhs.

3. Focus on Your Audience

To understand your audience you have to listen…really listen.

Strategically create your messaging, understanding what will help influence/persuade your audience because thinking solely focussed on yourself leads to  presentation nerves and anxiety  and gives the ums and ahhs an opportunity to take hold.

When you focus on the needs of your audience and deliver a message to be of service, it will take the pressure off of you and stop your use of vocal fillers in its tracks.

4. Rehearse

I’ve never had a client circle back after a speech or presentation telling me they wished they had practiced less.

Knowing what you’re about to say next reduces vocal fillers. Enlist a colleague or professional and rehearse your presentation or speech so they can provide real time feedback. With caution though.

Ensure that those you ask to help you have the experience to provide valuable feedback.

5. Audio or Video Recordings

Listen to an audio or video recording of yourself to identify when you tend to overuse vocal fillers. Try to get to the bottom of your own habits. Where my clients often get stuck is not in the recording of themselves but actually watching or listening to the recording. This is where you need to humbly and objectively step back to gain valuable insight.

Loom is a terrific software tool to record your practices . It’s an easy software to learn that provides an area for comments. My clients first critique their recordings using the Loom platform and then send the recording to me for my feedback.

Watching and listening to a recording of yourself provides insight that practicing in the theatre of your mind can’t.

Now that you’ve identified where you’re using too many filler words (by analyzing your recorded practices) you’ve built some awareness of where you’re getting tripped up. With this awareness and when you arrive at the challenging spots, slow your pace down and take a deep, belly breath.

6. Replace Your Filler Word with A Silent Pause

Clients often tell me how difficult this is because they feel like the time to take a deep breath is long. If you’re standing in front of an audience sharing your ideas, it does seem like a long time. The time seems protracted. For the audience it is simply a second or two. A welcomed one, giving them time to distill your messaging.

When you feel an um or an ahh about to leave your lips, stop yourself. Take a breath to gather your thoughts and then continue with your next words/thoughts. This technique takes a bit of practice to get comfortable with the silence. It’s worth it because it will move you from a C-level speaker to one who appears polished.

7. Have a Drink of Water

Another way to tame your ums and ahs is with a sip of water. Make sure to have water close at hand and if you find yourself struggling for your next words take a drink or two, not only to quench your thirst (lubricate dry mouth) but also quench your mind.

The few seconds it takes to drink will give you space to gather your thoughts.

8. Refer to Your Notes

Similar to taking a sip of water to bide some time, referring to your notes does the same. No matter the length of your message it’s natural to gather your thoughts.

Referring to your notes is a great foil for pausing and regulating your need for vocal fillers.

​​​​Margarita Quihuis ESG Advisor, ED: Peace Innovation Institute, The Hague Peace Innovation Lab Stanford

9. Plan Your Transitions

Although I’m not a fan of  memorizing presentations , it is sound practice to chunk out your content and know when you will be transitioning from concept to concept.

When you plan out your transitions beforehand, you’ll be able to smoothly move from one idea to the next and won’t rely on fillers.

10. Calm Yourself

Although many people will tell you they have a fear of public speaking, what is actually at the core is their fear of anxiety or nerves taking over.

Nerves and anxiety do exacerbate your need to rely on filler phrasing. Being in a  state of angst while presenting in front of an audience  will have your heart beating fast and have you lose your train of thought.

Many techniques that seem too simple to work actually do work. It’s a matter of stopping yourself when you feel anxious, grappling for the right word, to implement your anxiety/nerve regulating techniques.

Nerve busting techniques do require practice before your live event so that you know how and when to use them as well as being able to execute good technique.

Taking a deep breath is the top go-to anxiety reducing technique I use myself and recommend to my clients. Yes, as simple as breathing. It’s actually not. You need to catch yourself and be aware when your emotions are getting the better of you and your anxiety is climbing. And when you do, take a deep breath.

Not a deep breath high up in your chest (which is a common mistake), but a deep breath way down low in your belly. It’s crucial, too, that your exhale is longer than your inhale. It’s on the exhalation that your heart rate will slow.

I have been the guinea pig myself using a number of anxiety quelling techniques that I have researched. I use my smartwatch to monitor my heart rate which drops during execution. Not only do I prove to myself the techniques do work but that substantiation also gives me confidence they will work when I’m live on stage. My clients will tell you the same.

If the feedback you receive is that you rely too heavily on ums and ahs…so much so that it’s distracting…practice a few of my ten tips to help you communicate fluidly and with ease.

Do You Need Help with Your Communication Skills? Do Your Messages Fall Flat?

Well honed communication skills are your most valuable asset. But when you’re on your own without professional feedback it can be challenging. If you’re stuck on how to clearly communicate your message, book a  1-hour presentation strategy session  with me. I’ll help you get on track to communicate well with your peers and colleagues.

If you need support to create a presentation from scratch, I can help you with that too ->  Prepare For Your Upcoming Presentation, Speech, or Talk .

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Filler words and how to reduce them in a presentation?

Posted by Belinda Huckle  |  On April 4, 2022  |  In Presentation Training, Tips & Advice

In this Article...quick links

Reasons why we use filler words.

• What are the triggers? 
• When does it happen? 
• Slow down and learn to pause.

Using intentional filler words and phrases.

Tailored and personalised presentation skills training.

Ah, um, er, let’s see. Uh it’s like this. Okay. Well kind of. You know. What I mean is. Right. These are all guttural clutter or filler words and phrases that litter our everyday speech. They form a part of our unique ‘language personality’.  We all have our subconscious favourites and probably use them a lot more than we realise, but why do we say them, what do they mean and do they have a role in a presentation?

At the simplest level we often use Umms, Ahhs and other filler words to give us time to think about what we want to say next. It gives us a second to gather our thoughts or perhaps indicate that we haven’t quite finished a sentence. But there are also other, more subconscious triggers that can lead us to use them.

• Politeness. Michael Handford , a professor of applied linguistics and English language at Cardiff University,  concludes that people often use these words to be polite and they play an important, functional part of basic politeness. He says “If you invite somebody to a party and they say no without any of those markers they will appear rude. If they say ‘Um, well, you know, sorry’ it makes it much more polite.”

• Digestion. If we are trying to communicate a complex idea, we often use filler words to give the listener more time to process the information, to digest it, and to catch up with what we are saying.
• Deception. According to ex FBI agent, Dr. John R. Schafer , Professor at Western Illinois University, these little words can also signal deception. He says that in his experience, tag words such as “You know,” “I mean,” and “Right” are used to seek confirmation from the listener. Fascinatingly, he says “Truthful people convey information and seek confirmation from listeners,” whereas “Liars try to convince others that what is being said is true.” And filler words are one way of the speaker seeking signals of approval, whether they’re telling the truth or lying! It’s a subtle difference but one to think about if you have a tendency to overuse fillers and these kind of tag words in your vocabulary.

But let’s have a reality check. Very few people are so eloquent that they never use Ers, Uhs, Likes and other filler words in everyday communication. In fact, if we don’t include any of these verbal tics, we would probably sound somewhat cold and robotic. In a presentation setting, however, filler words and phrases generally don’t add anything. The odd one here and there is fine and if used properly can even add impact (we’ll come on to this later) but overusing these meaningless words or sounds can make us appear unconfident, unprepared and nervous. Not only that but they will distract the audience – like earworms, people begin to notice them ever more often – and therefore they get in the way of us getting our message across. And, even worse, they can cause listener frustration and annoyance. 

In order to reduce your verbal clutter and filler words it’s important to first understand when and why we personally use them. 

How to reduce your filler words?

At SecondNature, when we are coaching and training, we never count people’s Umms and Ahhs. We always say that a small amount of verbal clutter can be ok, as long as it doesn’t distract the audience, dilute the message and detract from our ability to sound confident and comfortable. Indeed, when presenting, if there is no verbal clutter whatsoever there is the potential that we’ll sound overly scripted, over rehearsed, and inauthentic. 

However, if you think you may use too many filler words, here are some of the areas we analyse. You might find these useful too:

What are the triggers?  

Firstly, try to understand what triggers you to use filler words. Is it silence? For example, at the start of a presentation when people are settling down? Or when you transition from one slide to another. If this is the case, we coach presenters to feel comfortable to pause and to own the silence, rather than trying to fill it with meaningless noise. 

Another common trigger for Umms and Ahhs is between bullet points. The solution here is to thread the points together so they tell a story. This flow will remove the need for connecting fillers.

For some people the trigger is when they start to answer a question . You’ll often hear people start their answer with fillers like Emmm, or You Know, or What I mean is. To stop doing this, we advise people to first pause and then to kick off their answer with a short validation sentence that acknowledges the question. Examples include: 

• “That’s a question I asked myself”
• “That’s a question a lot of people have asked us recently”
• “I’m not surprised you’re asking that given …”
• “I think the point you’re making is a good one”

This technique gives the presenter time to gather their thoughts and should help them to reduce the filler words. 

The good news is that once you start to recognise the triggers you can pre-empt the trigger and break your guttural clutter habits. 

When does it happen?  

• The start of sentences The other, and very important, thing is to analyse when they’re occurring. Are they at the  start  of sentences? If so, we coach people to always try and get into the habit of starting their sentences with an actual word (rather than a filler word) – and, importantly, not to start the sentence until they know what this word will be.
• Between sentences If the Umms take place  between  sentences, then our coaching focus is on getting people to pause between the sentences instead of using filler words.
• In the middle of sentences The hardest Umms are those that occur in the  middle  of sentences, in the place of commas. This can be a very common speech pattern amongst certain cultures. One way of reducing this tendency is to coach people to speak in shorter, punchier sentences. This reduces the ‘commas’ and hence the tendency to Umm.

What filler words or phrases do you regularly use?

If you can’t think of them straight away then ask someone who knows you well. We all have a signature phrase (mine is ‘Here’s the thing’) and our friends and colleagues will probably be more aware of them than we are. Once you know what they are you can work towards reducing them during your presentation.

Slow down and learn to pause .

Nervous presenters  often speak more quickly than they would in a normal conversation. And nerves can lead to an overuse of filler words. As a rule of thumb, we suggest presenters speak at half pace for the first 60-90 seconds of their presentation. This helps people settle into a natural speaking rhythm, a conversational speaking rhythm, which will in turn reduce the tendency to Umm and Ahh. At SecondNature we also coach people how to deliberately pause between chapters of their presentation story, before and after landing key messages, when switching positions in the room, and particularly when  answering questions . These pauses help our voice and speaking rhythm to reset or re-calibrate, and the presenter to get ‘back in the moment’. This will significantly reduce the urge to use fillers. And of course, pausing in this way will add significant composure, impact and gravitas to the presenter’s style

Sounds obvious. But rehearsing is not just about knowing your content and what slide comes next. It’s also about what you say (that isn’t on the slide), how you say it, and what other tools you can use such as gestures , and the attention triangle to add impact to your narrative.  The best way to do this is to record your rehearsal – it might be hard to watch, but it really is one of the best ways to improve your performance and reduce your verbal clutter and filler words.

It is possible to have a small repertoire of filler words or phrases that you can use, when delivered after a pause, and in combination with a gesture, that can add impact. 

Imagine two scenarios’, the first presenter is standing uneasily, hands by their side awkwardly. The first word they say is ‘So’. The second presenter is standing in a relaxed but confident manner, hands above the waist. After a brief pause, a slight change of position and with the hands in a steepled gesture their first word is ‘So’. Which one would you find more engaging, impactful, confident, positive…? 

Another good exercise is to make is list of what we call Siren Words, and try to start using them in your everyday, general conversation so that they become second nature and gradually replace the use of Umms and Ahhhs. Siren Words can help validate a message e.g. ‘Believe me’, ‘What this means is’, ‘As you can see.’ And other Siren Words help to emphasis a message e.g. ‘The bottom line is that’, ‘What this boils down to is’, ‘The key point is that.’ 

You’ll be surprised at how quickly, with a little thought and practice, you can reduce your verbal clutter and become a more confident sounding and persuasive communicator .

If you’re looking to build the presentation skills of your team (or yourself) through personalised training or coaching that is tailored to your business, we can help.

For nearly 20 years we have been the  Business Presentation Skills Experts , training & coaching thousands of people in an A-Z of global blue-chip organisations – check out  what they say about our programs .

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Written By Belinda Huckle

Co-Founder & Managing Director

Belinda is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of SecondNature International. With a determination to drive a paradigm shift in the delivery of presentation skills training both In-Person and Online, she is a strong advocate of a more personal and sustainable presentation skills training methodology.

Belinda believes that people don’t have to change who they are to be the presenter they want to be. So she developed a coaching approach that harnesses people’s unique personality to build their own authentic presentation style and personal brand.

She has helped to transform the presentation skills of people around the world in an A-Z of organisations including Amazon, BBC, Brother, BT, CocaCola, DHL, EE, ESRI, IpsosMORI, Heineken, MARS Inc., Moody’s, Moonpig, Nationwide, Pfizer, Publicis Groupe, Roche, Savills, Triumph and Walmart – to name just a few.

A total commitment to quality, service, your people and you.

How to stop using filler words like ‘um' and 'uh' in your speech

Americans are notorious for using filler words. While moderate use in a casual environment could be helpful it is advised to avoid excessive use, especially in a professional setting . If you're using too many filler words, it is time to stop the habit.

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20+ English Filler Words to Help You Sound Fluent

“English is like, totally fun to learn, you know?”

Take out the words “like,” “totally” and “you know,” and you’re left with a perfectly understandable sentence: English is fun to learn .

The words we removed are called filler words.  These are words (and phrases) that are used to fill silence when you’re speaking, often to give you time to think.

Filler words don’t really add any meaning to the sentence. For example, when you can’t think of a word, you might say “umm.”

Native speakers use filler words often in casual English conversations . So here are 20+ English filler words to help you sound natural and more like a native speaker .

2. Um / Er / Uh

5. actually, 6. basically, 7. seriously, 8. literally, 10. clearly, 11. you see, 12. you know, 14. you know what i mean, 15. at the end of the day, 16. believe me, 17. i guess / i suppose, 18. or something, 19. okay / so, 20. right / mhm / uh huh, when are filler words used in english, use filler words in moderation, and one more thing....

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“Well” can be used in a few different ways. You can use it to show that you’re thinking”

“ Well , I guess $20 is a good price for a pair of jeans.”

You can also use it to put a pause in a sentence:

“The apples and cinnamon go together like, well , apples and cinnamon.”

You can even use the word to stall (delay):

“ Well … fine, you can borrow my car.”

“Um,” “er” and “uh” are mostly used for hesitation, such as when you don’t know the answer or don’t want to answer.

“ Um , er , I uh thought the project was due tomorrow, not today.”

You can use any of the words at any time—they don’t all have to go together.

“ Umm … I like the yellow dress better!”

“Hmm” is a thoughtful sound, and it shows that you’re thinking or trying to decide something.

“ Hmm , I like the red bag but I think I’ll buy the black one instead.”

“Like” is sometimes used to mean that something is not exact:

“My neighbor has like ten dogs.”

In the above example, the neighbor probably doesn’t have exactly ten dogs. Rather, the neighbor has a lot of dogs.

Usually, though, the word is used when you need a moment to figure out the next word to use.

“My friend was like , completely ready to like kick me out of the car if I didn’t stop using the word ‘like’ .”

Keep in mind that the word “like” as a filler is seen as a negative thing. The word is often overused by young females, and can make you sound like you’re not sure what you’re talking about.

“Actually” is an adverb—a word that describes an action. Many English adverbs (though not all of them) have an “-ly” at the end of the word, which makes it easier to recognize them.

Some adverbs can be used as fillers to change the strength of a statement.

For example, the word “actually” is used to point out something you think is true, when others might not agree:

“ Actually , pugs  are really cute!”

“Basically” is also an adverb. It is used when you’re summarizing something, like a movie you saw:

“ Basically , the last Batman movie was really exciting!”

The adverb “seriously” is used to show how strongly you take the statement.

“Wow… That roller coaster was seriously scary!”

“Literally” is another adverb. It really means “something that is true,” but many times in conversation it’s used with a different meaning: to express strong feelings.

These strong feelings aren’t always literal, though. For example:

“That’s so funny! I’m literally dying of laughter right now!”

Our next adverb is “totally,” which means “completely.” It is used to show that you feel strongly about something or that something is important.

“You totally didn’t see me, even though I was right in front of you.”

The adverb “clearly” means the same as “obviously.” As a filler word, it is used to state something that is very obviously true.

“ Clearly you don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You see” is used to share a fact that you assume the listener doesn’t know, like:

“I was going to try the app, but you see , I ran out of space on my phone.”

“You know” is used to share something that you assume the listener already knows.

“We stayed at that hotel, you know , the one down the street from Times Square.”

It can also be used instead of an explanation, in cases where we feel the listener just understands what we mean.

“When the elevator went down, I got that weird feeling in my ears, you know? ”

“I mean” is used to clarify or emphasize how you feel about something:

“ I mean , he’s a great guy, I’m just not sure if he’s a good doctor.”

It’s also used to make corrections when you misspeak:

“The duck and the tiger were awesome but scary. I mean , the tiger was scary, not the duck.”

“The cave is two thousand— I mean —twenty thousand years old!”

“You know what I mean?” is used to make sure the listener is following what you’re saying.

“I really like that girl, you know what I mean? ”

“At the end of the day” is a phrase that means “in the end” or “in conclusion.”

“ At the end of the day , we’re all just humans, and we all make mistakes.”

“Believe me” is a way of asking your listener to trust what you’re saying.

“ Believe me , I didn’t want this tiny house, but it was the only one I could afford.”

It’s also used to emphasize what you’re about to say, as in:

“ Believe me , this is the cheapest, tiniest house ever!”

“I guess” and “I suppose” are used to show that you’re hesitant, or not really sure about what you’re saying.

“I was going to eat dinner at home, but I guess I can go eat at a restaurant instead.”

“I guess” is used more often in speech, but “I suppose” can sound classier (a bit smarter).

“Or something” is a sentence ending that means you’re not being exact.

“The cake uses two sticks of butter and ten eggs, or something like that.”

“Okay” and “so” are usually used to start sentences, and can be a sign that a new topic is starting:

“ So what are you doing next weekend?”

They can also be used to introduce a summary:

“ Okay , so we’re going to need to buy supplies for our trip this weekend.”

“Right” and “uh huh” are affirmative responses—they both mean “yes.”

“ Right , so let’s prepare a list of all the things we’ll need.”

“ Mhm —I heard you.”

“ Uh huh , that’s exactly what he told me too.”

You only need to use filler words when you’re speaking out loud. Generally, you won’t use fillers when you’re writing. When you’re speaking out loud, though, you might need some extra time to figure out what to say. That’s when you can use filler words.

Sometimes people use certain filler words (“like,” “literally” or “believe me”) when they’re writing online in website comments, chats or social media. This is fine too, since conversations online are very similar to spoken conversations.

Filler words are used for a number of reasons:

For example: “It was a really big bear, you know ?”

Like with anything else, you can use filler words too much.

Overusing filler words (using too many, too often) can make it difficult to follow your sentences. They can also make you sound unprofessional—for example, don’t use a lot of filler words during job interviews or presentations.

But even native English speakers use fillers quite often. Learning to use them correctly will help you speak more fluently and confidently, and make you sound more like an advanced English learner .

To get a deeper sense of how to use filler words, you should watch English videos to see how native speakers use them. In general, videos made for English speakers are helpful in showing “real” speech. You also get to see and hear how filler words work in different sentences and different situations.

Movies and TV shows are great examples of videos you can watch. If you have any favorite English shows, watch them again and this time, really pay attention to how the characters talk. See how many filler words you can hear!

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So, basically, do use filler words when you speak, but don’t use them too much!

Now you’re an expert on filler words, right? Well, some of these words and phrases can be hard to use correctly, since the meanings are so flexible.

Filler words can require a lot of subtlety, but master them and you will sound like a native speaker in literally no time.

If you like learning English through movies and online media, you should also check out FluentU. FluentU lets you learn English from popular talk shows, catchy music videos and funny commercials , as you can see here:

If you want to watch it, the FluentU app has probably got it.

The FluentU app and website makes it really easy to watch English videos. There are captions that are interactive. That means you can tap on any word to see an image, definition, and useful examples.

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• How Eliminating Filler Words Transforms Your Presentations

by Marie F | Mar 14, 2024 | Public Speaking Tips and Techniques | 0 comments

In the realm of effective communication, the devil, as they say, often lies in the details. One such detail, seemingly inconsequential yet profoundly impactful, is the use of filler words. Though the term might not be familiar to everyone, the experience certainly is. Filler words are those little verbal hiccups—like “um,” “uh,” “you know,”—that sneak into our speeches and presentations, often without us even noticing.

The Impact of “You Know” and Its Kin

To the untrained ear, filler words might seem like harmless placeholders, a natural part of conversational speech. However, for Toastmasters, professionals aiming to polish their presentation skills, and executives striving to be better leaders, these pesky interlopers can detract significantly from the message’s clarity and impact. Among the trendiest and perhaps most overused filler words is “you know,” a phrase that has become a verbal crutch for many.

Why Filler Words Are Your Foe

But why should we strive to eliminate filler words from our communication repertoire? First and foremost, they add no real value to our message. Instead of enhancing our speech, they clutter it, making it harder for our audience to focus on the essential points we’re trying to convey. Moreover, an overreliance on filler words can be annoying to listeners, distracting them from the substance of our message. Perhaps most critically, filler words can undermine our credibility, making us appear unsure or lacking in confidence—a death knell in high-stakes presentations or leadership communication.

Strategies for Eliminating Filler Words

Recognizing the importance of eradicating filler words is the first step toward cleaner, more confident speech. But awareness alone is not enough; action is key. Within Toastmasters clubs, for example, there’s a dedicated role known as the Ah Counter, whose job is to track and report on the use of filler words by members during meetings. This gentle accountability helps speakers become more conscious of their verbal habits and encourages them to speak more deliberately.

The Power of Self-Observation

Another effective strategy is to watch videos of your presentations. It can be an eye-opening experience to see and hear yourself as others do. You might be surprised at how often those “you knows” and “ums” pepper your speech. Watching yourself can also help you identify patterns or specific instances where you’re more likely to rely on filler words, such as during transitions between thoughts or when grappling with complex material.

Speaking Up to Cut Down on Filler Words

Finally, an unconventional yet effective technique to minimize filler words is to focus on increasing your volume. It might sound counterintuitive, but speaking up, projecting your voice more forcefully, can actually help. The theory here is simple: nobody yells “um.” Raising your volume requires you to breathe more deeply and speak more intentionally, which can naturally reduce the incidence of filler words.

The Journey to Clearer Communication

As we navigate our professional and personal communication journeys, the goal isn’t perfection but progress. The occasional “um” or “you know” won’t derail a well-crafted message, but striving to minimize these verbal ticks can enhance our clarity, credibility, and impact as communicators. Whether you’re a seasoned Toastmaster, an aspiring speaker, or an executive looking to sharpen your leadership communication, the effort to refine your speech is a worthy investment in your personal and professional growth. In the end, it’s not just about eliminating filler words; it’s about elevating our ability to convey our ideas and passions more powerfully and persuasively.

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15 Common English Filler Words You Should Know

What are filler words? They're everywhere in spoken English. Learn not only what English filler words are but how to use them in English conversation.

Ariel Craine

Have you ever noticed someone saying So or You know? many times in one conversation? What about Um or Alright ? These phrases are everywhere in spoken English, but you probably won't find them in your textbook.

Fear not! After reading this article, you'll know not only what English filler words are but how (and why!) to use them.

Filler words are some of the most commonly spoken words in any language . Fluent English speakers say these sounds so often in casual conversation that most of the time we don't even realize we're using them!

Let me give you an example:

" Okay so have you, like , heard of the "Valley Girl" accent? Well , it's also known as Uptalk and basically , it's, um , this accent known for, uh , using tons of filler words. I mean, actually, um ...what are filler words?"

Alright, alright. I'll stop. A less extreme example would be something like:

" Oh ...I forgot where I was going. Um, I think I'll leave now!"

Do you see what I mean? Great! Let's learn about English filler words and how they function in a conversation.

What Are Filler Words?

As the name suggests, filler words are short sounds used when people need to "fill" in the gaps between thoughts or sentences. Sometimes, these words even add a little extra attitude or emphasis. They're also known as discourse markers .

There are pros and cons to using them—and we'll get to that in a second—but in informal situations, using common filler words can make you sound more natural. They keep up the pace of English conversation without being distracting.

You almost certainly have filler words in your own native tongue. What sort of filler words you use depends on the language and sometimes on your region or age.

Spanish speakers might say este or pues . Italians are infamous for their use of allora . Living in South Korea, you'd be hard-pressed to find a Korean speaker who doesn't use eum or keu .

Why Do We Use Fillers Words?

Most people don't realize this when they're using them, but filler words have different purposes. It's not only to fill up space!

We use filler words to:

• Hesitate or pause
• Indicate mood or tone
• Be indirect as a form of politeness
• Express doubt
• Emphasize ideas

That's a lot of potential meanings, right? With that, let's see some of the most popular English filler words!

Common Filler Words

"Oh" is one of the most common filler words in the English language. People of every age and dialect say it. Oh almost always begins a sentence and it might indicate subtle surprise or disappointment.

Example: "Oh...I didn't know."

Love it or hate it, like has become incredibly common with young English speakers. This filler word started in California and, despite being irritating to some, you should know people say like all the time in many different ways. People pause by saying like but we also use it to add emphasis. Another reason we say like is when we're quoting a conversation.

Examples: "It's, like , not a big deal." "He's never even, like , been to a concert." "I was like , why didn't you want to go?"

3. You know

Do you know how to use you know ? It can start, finish, or interject a sentence. Native speakers might start with you know while we collect our thoughts. We also say it to check for agreement. It's important to note fluent English speakers use this when we assume the other person shares the same knowledge or opinion as us.

Examples : " You know , I never thought this would happen." "The book was sort of boring, you know ?" "He was, you know , always late."

Sometimes English speakers might start sentences with I mean when we want to clarify our point. It also adds emphasis or functions as a pause while thinking of what to say next.

Example: " I mean , that would be amazing!" " I mean, don't you want to see her show?" " I mean ...you never know."

5. Or something

Want to express your doubt or hesitancy? English speakers add ...or something to the end of an idea when we're unsure. This has the added effect of "softening" up a sentence if we're worried about seeming too direct.

Example : "I heard it's about whales or something ."

Well, well, well...what have we here? Well in English can be an adverb ("It's going well!)" but it also functions as a filler word. Speakers add this to the beginning of a sentence to transition between ideas.

Example: "You're sure? Well , just let me know!"

Just is a great word to use to add emphasis or, somewhat contradictorily, hedge your argument. Just can also express hesitancy and make your point more indirect (which, in some situations, may be more polite!).

Examples : "Well, that's just great." "It's just a bird!" " Just ...I don't know what to say." "I just thought it would be fine."

8. Basically

It's basic! Speakers use basically when we're summarizing our ideas or emphasizing our most important point.

Examples : " Basically all I did was call her." "It's basically about this superhero."

9. Actually

Actually is great for when you're trying to emphasize the truth of something. Sometimes, we say it to contradict someone else.

Examples: "That actually happened to me!" " Actually , I'm not sure if that's true."

English learners probably know so because it's often an intensifying adverb ("That's so nice!"). However, so is also used as a coordinating conjunction at the beginning of a sentence. It's a filler word that, like basically , is meant to indicate consequence or to wrap-up an idea.

Examples: " So that's how I got here." " So what's next?"

Right means "correct" in English, but English speakers use it for more than just an adjective: it can start a sentence, change the topic or check for agreement.

Examples: " Right , I'll see you tomorrow." "You live next door, right ?"

Okay is an English loan word heard all over the world. It's an adjective and adverb ( "It's okay." or "It went okay." ) but we also use it as a filler word! Much like right , okay can start a sentence, change topics or be an affirmative. Native speakers also use it to check for understanding.

Examples: " Okay , are you here yet?" " Okay , let's talk about next week's class." "I know you're tired so let's leave, okay ?

13. Alright

Alright is the informal (and sometimes considered incorrect!) spelling of all right . Just as with right , fluent speakers use it to agree and to transition between ideas. It can also check if someone is safe or good. In spoken English, it's a bit more formal than okay but, again, this spelling shouldn't be used in formal writing.

Example: " Alright , that makes sense." "The kids are alright ."

Um is another incredibly common (if not the most common) English filler word. This is the kind of filler word that people say all the time but usually don't even realize we're using. You use um as a pause or hesitation in between ideas. English speakers also say it when we're expressing uncertainty.

Example: "That would go between the, um , couch and the TV."

Yeah is usually a term of agreement, but we also say it to confirm or check for understanding. Examples: " Yeah , I feel the same way." "You know where the burger place is, yeah ?"

When Should You Use Filler Words?

If you don't often practice conversations with a native English speaker, you might not realize how common these words are in spoken English. Because TV shows and movies are written and rehearsed, their dialogue will be stripped of most of these words--unless they're trying to mimic a certain accent. Likewise, podcasters and youtubers will often edit out these little noises to make their content sound smoother.

Filler words are often considered unprofessional because they can make you sound unsure or unprepared. Specific words, such as like are associated with teenage girls (need an example? See Cher from Clueless).

Just like with contractions , you want to avoid using them in formal situations.

A teacher at my high school would take off points from our grade every time we started our presentations with the word So . Maybe this goes without saying, but she took off a lot of points.

This isn't to say you should never use them. Filler words are actually very important because they can make a sentence more indirect, which can be more polite. They can also help you sound less robotic. As I said above, these words are so natural, it'll be difficult to find a native speaker who doesn't say Oh or Um sometimes.

Rather, it's important to know when and how to use these discourse markers. A casual dinner out with friends? Sure, say like as much as you like! A high-stakes board meeting with your boss's boss? Maybe stay away from the Ums and You know -s.

Understanding these words and what they usually mean can help you better read someone's mood or subtle meaning. Now you can tell when someone might be trying to check for agreement, hedge their opinion or express doubt!

Conclusion: What's Next?

We've learned some of the most popular English filler words. What do you think? Will you start using these in casual conversation? Even if you don't, the next time someone starts throwing out words like So or Actually , you can better guess their tone and intention.

Okay, so, it's basically that easy, right?

Right! So now that you know about filler words, you can keep learning about other ways English speakers speak informally . If you want to learn more ways to sound like a native speaker, you can read about the best techniques to improve your English communication skills !

Well, that's all. Oh, and good luck on your language learning journey!

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