Stop Saying “Umm, Ehh…” When Speaking English: The Art of Professional Filler Words

Picture This: You’re in a Job Interview…

“Tell me about yourself,” they say.

You freeze. You stall. You stutter:

“Uhh… I, umm… I think I’m, like… good at… stuff?”

And just like that, your credibility quietly dies in the corner.

Let’s be honest: using filler sounds like “uhh,” “umm,” or “you know” is a common crutch, especially when speaking a second language. But if you’re aiming for English fluent speaking and a little self-respect in meetings, it’s time to fix that.

This guide will help you ditch the noise and speak with style — not stress.

What Are Filler Words (and Why Do You Cling to Them)?

“Filler words” are those delightful little noises we insert when our brain needs time but doesn’t want to look lazy. Classic examples include:

• “Umm”
• “Like”
• “You know”
• “So…”
• “I mean”

These verbal fluffballs are different from structured discourse markers that add clarity and flow. Unintentional fillers? Just static.

Why Should You Stop Using “Umm” in English?

Let’s break this down with some loving cruelty:

❌ It Distracts People

Every “uhh” is a speed bump in your sentence. Want your audience focused on your ideas? Stop tossing marbles on the road.

❌ It Sounds Unprofessional

Imagine giving a business pitch and sounding like you’re rebooting mid-sentence. Not exactly Shark Tank material.

❌ It Lowers Your Fluency

No matter how good your grammar is, if your delivery is 60% hesitation, you’ll sound like you’re Googling your own thoughts.

How to Actually Stop Using Fillers (Instead of Just Feeling Guilty)

✅ 1. Master the Pause

Silence isn’t scary. It’s powerful.

Instead of: “Uhh, maybe we should…”
Say: (pause) “I believe we should…”

✅ 2. Slow Your Roll

Filler words creep in when you rush. Speak like your words have value. (Even if they usually don’t.)

✅ 3. Control Your Breathing

Good breathing = calm mind = confident voice. It’s science. Or yoga. Maybe both.

✅ 4. Record Yourself and Suffer

Two minutes a day. Record your speech. Count the “umms.” Cringe. Improve. Repeat.

If you need extra help, use a tool like the FixyGrammar Paraphraser to rephrase cluttered sentences more clearly.

From “Umm” to Upgrade: Professional Alternatives

Here’s a table to turn your speech from “panicked intern” to “polished communicator”:

Instead of…	Try Saying…
“Umm…”	“Let me think for a second.”
“Like…”	“For example…”
“You know…”	“What I mean is…”
“So…”	“To summarize…”

Want more sentence magic? Check out cleft sentences to emphasize ideas like a linguistic wizard.

---

Practice Habits That Actually Work

🪞 Mirror Talk

Talk to your reflection like it owes you money. It builds confidence.

🎙️ Voice Recording

Use your phone or FixyGrammar Grammar Checker to evaluate your tone, fluency, and hesitation.

📚 Read Aloud

Read anything — news, blog posts, shampoo labels. Try these idioms for something actually interesting.

Long-Term Fluency Hacks for Real-Life English

• Grow your vocabulary with collocations that help you sound more natural and less like a malfunctioning chatbot.
• Explore sentence structure like simple vs. complex sentences to give your ideas room to breathe.
• Watch better speakers like those in TED Talks on Communication, who handle silences like pros and never default to “uhh.”

And if you want academic, no-nonsense guides, Cambridge English Speaking Resources are literally built for this.

Conclusion: Speak Like You Meant to Say That

You don’t need to talk like the Queen. But please, stop talking like a buffering livestream.

✅ Ditch the “uhhs”
✅ Add pauses
✅ Use polished phrases
✅ Own your speech

🚀 Your Challenge

Choose one tactic from this post and use it today. Want to flex? Drop your result in the comments like:

“Just gave a whole presentation with zero ‘umm’ — who even am I?”

Because yeah, you’re not the same stuttering mortal you were 10 minutes ago.