Reducing Filler Words

Written by: Anna Pasternak / Professional Communication / August 09, 2023 / 8 minutes read

In the world of communication, especially professional communication, one thing that we often notice is when someone is using too many filler words.  Everyone uses filler words at some point, though it can become more problematic when they begin to be overused. Filler words often appear as words or sounds such as “ummm”, “uhh”, “so”, “you know”, and “like”. These are the most common ones used, though sometimes people may also use other words as their filler words. 

When filler words are used here or there, where they are not coming up frequently, most often it goes unnoticed. They become noticeable when used in every sentence or every other sentence, as they may become a distraction or sound annoying to the listener when overused.  When filler words are used too often it can become a problem because the person's message will not come across the way it was intended. With added filler words the message the speaker is trying to deliver may sound less, confident, firm, and unsure.  It may sound like the speaker is second guessing themselves about what they are trying to say. Though this may not always be the case, it will come across this way if filler words are used with the intended message. This will take away from the overall power of the message. If a message being delivered uses filler words it can also make the overall message less impactful and take away from the strength of the message. To learn more about portraying a strong and confident voice please check our Leadership Communication course on the Well Said website. 

One of the first steps to helping reduce or eliminate the use of filler words in speech, is becoming conscious of what filler words you are using and when they are used. Sometimes individuals may use filler words when they are nervous, when they need to buy themselves some time to think, or they can also be produced out of habit. Once someone becomes conscious of when they are using filler words, and which filler words they are using, it becomes easier to catch oneself and apply strategies to help reduce them. A good way of doing this is recording yourself when giving a presentation or speaking and seeing what kinds of filler words are being used and when they pop up.  

If the individual finds out the filler words are being produced while nervous or anxious when speaking. Then the person should target reducing some of the anxiety to get in a more relaxed state of mind.  Whether it is some breathing exercises, mindfulness exercises, and/or reducing the physical tension they may have in the body  when anxious. Feeling calmer when speaking will also allow the person to be able to focus more on being conscious of reducing their filler words, instead of feeling like they just want to get whatever they are saying over with. 

Everyone uses filler words at some point, though it can become more problematic when they begin to be overused.

Another strategy to help reduce filler words is to slow down the rate of speech. Many individuals I see often have a fast rate, though they are not often aware of it. Some people may get feedback from others that they speak quickly, but some feel like they speak at a regular rate, though they may actually be on the quicker side. Sometimes it’s just slowing down the speech rate a bit enough for it to still sound like an appropriate rate for speaking, though this allows more time for the individual to think and pause instead of using a filler word. With fast speech rate it becomes much harder to catch these mistakes.  

So, what do we do when we feel like we have to use a filler at the moment? The key is to replace the filler with something like a pause or breath.  Taking the pause or breath instead of a filler word will come across a lot more put together and strong. Most often pauses after we deliver a message can add more of an impact and give the message more importance. Taking that pause can also give you more time to think about the next thing that you want to say. It is crucial for the individual to become comfortable with pauses, as some people may feel always pausing is awkward, this is something that can be achieved through consistent practice. These pauses create a moment of silence for the listener to also reflect on the last message that was delivered, as opposed to receiving too much information at once.  

Sometimes we can also use words  that are stronger and more powerful than the typical ‘umm’ or ‘uhh’ ’that may be used. Words such as basically, actually, or seriously can be substituted out for some of those fillers, and it will keep the strength in the message being delivered. Though it is important to make sure that these words also do not become overused and replaced as a filler word as well. Anything that is overused can become noticeable to the listener and make it more difficult to focus on the message that is being delivered. 

Slowing down rate, becoming conscious of what filler words are used and why they are being used, reducing anxiety, and becoming comfortable with pauses, can all help support reducing the use of filler words in speech. Also with a conscious effort and consistent practice reducing filler words will be achieved.  

To speak with a psychotherapist or one of the speech-language pathologists at Well Said: Toronto Speech Therapy, schedule an initial consultation by clicking the link below or calling (647) 795-5277.