Improving Your Speech: Tips for Avoiding Excessive Filler Words

People hold different views on filler words such as "um", "uh", "well", "so", "er", and "like". Some decry them as weak and hesitant, hindering effective communication, while others defend them as authentic and genuine, bridging the distance to the audience.

However, to present a better effect for the audience, especially in a professional setting, you need to figure out how to reduce filler words in speaking.

In this article, you will get an overview of filler words and learn some strategies for avoiding the excessive use of filler words in speech. By the end, it will introduce some tools for removing filler words in your videos.

Part 1: What Are Filler Words

Filler words are words or phrases that do not improve or add value to sentences but are used to 'fill in' empty spaces when writing or speaking. They are also known as discourse markers.

Most of the time, the use of filler words is unintentional. They usually indicate that our brains organize our thoughts or think of the next thing to say—a habit that leads to filler speaking.

Filler words are prevalent in day-to-day communication. They can come in the form of sounds, words, or phrases. Some examples of commonly used filler words in speech include:

Filler words can slightly slow down our sentences, but they are a normal part of conversation and often show that we are thinking on our feet. In some cases, they can actually make a conversation feel more natural and less rehearsed.

Part 2: How Filler Words Hinder Communication

Frequent use of filler words can hinder your ability to communicate clearly, especially in a professional setting. It can make you appear unprepared or nervous to address an audience. This can affect your confidence and credibility as a speaker, as confidence is an important element of effective communication, especially in a job interview or a business presentation.

Too many filler words disrupt the natural speech flow, making it hard to follow. Imagine trying to explain a complex idea or tell a story. Interferences from filler words can break the narrative, making it difficult for your listeners to stay with you. This can lead to a badly delivered message.

Effective communication is direct, unambiguous, and concise. The fewer words you use when communicating, the stronger your message. Filler words dilute your message, clutter your speech, and make your points unclear. As a result, listeners find it hard to discern the main point of your speech.

Part 3: Tips to Avoid Filler Words in Speech

Getting rid of filler words in speech requires deliberate effort, practice, and mindfulness. These tips will help you cut down on filler words, making you sound polished, knowledgeable, and confident during your presentation.

1. Identify the filler words you commonly use: Which words do you use most often when filler speaking? Try recording yourself during a conversation or a pretend presentation. Playback the video to pinpoint which filler words sneak into your speech most frequently. Now, you can make a conscious effort to reduce their occurrence. Awareness is the first step to getting rid of fillers.



2. Be familiar with your presentation: The more familiar you are with your presentation, the less likely you are to stumble on words or rely on fillers to think of what to say next. Review your presentation material, practice your delivery, and know your key points. This will ensure clear speech and a smooth delivery.
3. Stay relaxed when speaking: Anxiety causes our minds to race and our brains to work overtime; from there, filler words slip in. Take deep breaths before you start talking and anytime you feel nervous. The calmer you are, the more naturally your words flow and the more confidence you will exude.



4. Employ well-timed pauses and gestures: Usually, your brain slips in filler words during your speech to fill the silence. Contrary to how you may feel, pauses make you sound more confident and thoughtful. Well-timed pauses help you gather your thoughts and add emphasis to your points. Replace those filler words with hand gestures, facial expressions, and even eye contact. Doing this will make your speech more engaging.
5. Replace filler words with transition phrases: Your listeners would rather you use phrases like 'let's move on to…' than 'um's and 'ah's. Transition phrases help your thought flow and make your speech more professional and polished.



6. Slow down your pace: Trying to cover too much in too little time can cause filler words to creep in as your brain tries to keep up. Take a deep breath, slow down, and take your time. Practicing how to speak at a measured pace before your presentation is also a great help.

These approaches must be practiced consistently over a long period to have noticeable effects. In the short term, however, you can use tools with specialized features to remove filler words from videos and audio. Read the bonus section of the article for more information.

Bonus Part: Tools for Removing Filler Words from Your Videos

Editing filler words from your videos can be a game changer, especially while you're still trying to eliminate filler words in your speech.

But in the meantime, let's review these two tools that will take your presentation videos from great to awesome.

Descript

This tool makes it easy to remove 'uhh's, 'you know's, and a dozen other filler words from your videos with just one click.

Step 1: Record or upload your video on Descript. The tool will automatically spot and highlight filler words in your videos.

Step 2: Go to the top right corner of your screen and click Remove. Alternatively, you can right-click on the underlined filler and select Remove filler words. You’ll notice a list of filler words to be removed. In this scenario, select the fillers you want to remove and leave out the ones you wish to keep. The resulting video is called a jump cut.

Pricing

Kapwing

Kapwing is a content-creation tool for video editing. This AI-powered tool completely eliminates fillers in speaking videos, including filler words and awkward pauses that add unnecessary length. It accurately detects fillers and trims your video in seconds.

Step 1: Upload your video on Kapwing.

Step 1: Select Remove filler words on the Transcripts tab on the left.

And you’re done!

You can review the transcript to make sure all filler words have been removed.

Pricing

Conclusion

Let's face it! No one wants to be the speaker who constantly stumbles over words and seems clueless and unprofessional. Follow the tips highlighted in this article to get rid of filler in speaking, and ace your next presentation.

Becoming a flawless speaker may take a while—that's understandable. Use any of these tools to eliminate filler words in your recorded videos.

Note: In addition to these two online tools, keep an eye out for Wondershare Filmora’s upcoming feature designed to clean up your presentation videos and boost your confidence for your next presentation.

Using Filmora will come with many perks, including:

1. It offers fast and hassle-free water words removal with just one click.
2. Better editing efficiency and seamless navigation.
3. Versatipty so anyone can use the feature.
4. Better audience engagement and retention by removing meaningless interjections pke ‘um.’
   Ultimately, the upcoming tool offers the best solution to clean up your videos and boost their clarity.