01What are filler words?
Filler words carry no meaning of their own. They hold your place in the conversation while your brain looks for the next word. The most common ones in English:
- um, uh, er
- like
- you know
- so
- basically, actually, literally
- I mean
- kind of, sort of
- right? okay?
02Why we use them
Most fillers are thinking out loud. Silence feels risky, so the mouth fills it with a sound that says: I’m not done yet. Speaking faster than you think makes the gaps more frequent, and nerves make them feel longer.
A few fillers in a chat are normal and nobody counts them. They become a problem in a presentation, a job interview or a video call, where every um is easy to hear and makes you sound less sure than you are.
03How to stop saying um
Count them once
Record yourself talking for two minutes about your weekend. Play it back and count every um, like and you know. Most people are surprised by the number, and the surprise is what makes you notice them later.
Swap the um for a pause
When you feel an um coming, close your mouth and stay silent for one beat. To you it feels long. To your listener it sounds calm.
Slow down a notch
Fillers appear when your mouth is ahead of your thoughts. Speak a little slower than feels natural and the gaps shrink on their own.
Finish your sentences
Short sentences with a clear full stop leave no seam for a filler. Long chains held together by and, so and but invite them.
Breathe at the full stop
End a thought, breathe in, then speak. The breath fills the pause without a sound and keeps your pace steady.
Know your next point
Plan three bullet points, not a script. When you know where you are going, you don’t have to search mid-sentence, and the search is where most fillers live.
04FAQ
Are filler words bad?
Not always. In casual talk they are normal. In a talk, an interview or a call they make you sound unsure, and too many make you hard to follow.
Why do I say like so much?
Like is a placeholder while you look for the next word, and it spreads because the people around you use it too. Pausing where you would say like is easier to practise than trying not to say it.
Is it okay to pause in a presentation?
Yes. A short pause sounds confident and gives the room time to follow. It is the best replacement for um.
How do I stop saying um in interviews?
Prepare the three or four points you want to make, answer in short sentences and allow yourself a second of silence before you start. Practise the answers out loud, not just in your head.
Practice out loud.
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