filler words in essays

50 Filler Words List to Cut From Your Writing: Make Your Writing Stronger

Do you want to sound more confident and authoritative? Our comprehensive filler words list to cut from your writing will strengthen your work.

Filler words make English writing weak. Writing should be concise and meaningful, especially for online audiences with shorter attention spans . Using too many filler words gives the impression of inexperience , meaning your audience may be hesitant to take you seriously. 

As Magan Vernon once said,

“ ‘I don’t know’ is just a filler word when you don’t want to say what you’re really thinking .”

Choosing the right word for your specific meaning and leaving out any unnecessary words will help you communicate more effectively. The best way to avoid filler phrases and words is to keep a filler words list on hand. 

We’ve compiled a comprehensive list of words that you can avoid to keep your writing relevant and convey confidence. 

You may also find our list of common writing mistakes helpful.

What Are Filler Words?

What is an example of a filler sentence, how do you identify filler words, english filler words printable, english filler words list, filler phrases, other filler words, how do you avoid filler words in writing.

There are two different types of filler words. When it comes to speaking, filler words are sounds such as “umm,” “ahh,” or “uh”, which indicate that a speaker is thinking about what to say next.

When writing, filler words are simply words that carry little meaning, don’t serve a purpose, or can be removed from the sentence without altering the meaning. For example, saying “very good” instead of “excellent.”

Filler words often infiltrate writing based on an individual’s speech patterns or are used to flesh out the content if a writer is struggling to hit a word count. 

First, everyone has to understand the difference between filler words and filler sentences. Many people believe that a bunch of filler words put together equals a filler sentence; however, this is not always the case. 

Filler sentences are sentences that contribute nothing of value. They often state something obvious or reiterate a point that has already been made without sharing anything new. Readers would not lose any context if they were removed from the passage. 

There may be some situations where extra context or details are important. A rule of thumb is if something is not relevant to the needs of your audience, then you should remove it. Below are some examples:

Filler: The results from the study showed that 80% of participants fell asleep sooner and were more well-rested after wearing blue light glasses during the day. Most participants noticed a change after wearing the blue light glasses. While 20% of the participants experienced no change in sleep habits. In conclusion, we can learn a lot from this study.

Better: The results from the study showed that 80% of participants fell asleep sooner and were more well-rested after wearing blue light glasses, but 20% of the participants experienced no change. 

There is no need to state that most participants experienced a change in their sleep habits after wearing the glasses. This information is obvious as the results of the study were shared. Due to the nature of a scientific study, it’s clear the goal is to learn, so the last sentence is unnecessary, too.

Filler Sentences: I find baking relaxing, especially when my whole house smells like cinnamon or chocolate. If I have had a bad day at work, a sweet treat makes me feel so much better. With that said, you won’t get good results from poor baking equipment, as this is a craft that requires precision. So, where do you buy the best tools so you can work your magic in the kitchen? 

Better: By purchasing high-quality baking equipment, you will create perfect treats each time. Let’s learn more about where to get the right tools.

While a personal flair keeps readers engaged, going overboard will confuse them. If you’re trying to sell something or are making an argument, you need to introduce it to readers right away. Otherwise, they won’t know what your article or essay is about. Readers won’t have the patience to wade through several paragraphs to find out what you’re trying to say. 

Here are some tips for removing filler sentences: 

• Always have a plan before you start writing.
• Keep your introduction short, sweet, and to the point. 
• Ask someone to proofread your work. 
• Show, don’t tell.

The best way to identify filler words initially is to cross out or highlight certain words or phrases in your self-editing process. If your text still makes sense without them, and the meaning hasn’t changed, then those words were filler. This will get you used to identifying filler words that have become habitual in your writing.

Another way to identify filler is to consider if the same statement can be made using fewer words or if two sentences can be combined to provide succinct information. 

Utilising grammar checkers such as Grammarly can help you develop an efficient writing routine, as its Premium features identify filler words and suggest suitable edits. However, such tools should not be permitted to quash your natural and unique writing style merely to improve it.

It’s important to avoid going overboard when deleting filler words. Sounding like a robot won’t keep readers hooked. Strike a balance between creating the right tone and maintaining a unique writing style without making your content unnecessarily long or lacking confidence. 

Below, you’ll find a list of the most commonly used filler words to pay attention to in your writing.

Many filler words are adverbs. Though they make sense in the sentence, they are not needed. Here are some common ones.

1. Actually, Basically, Seriously

These filler words show up when you are making a statement that might have an exception. It is usually unnecessary, as in this example:

• Filler: Basically, he was saying he loved her, but in a roundabout way. 
• Better: He was saying he loved her, but in a roundabout way.

2. Just 

“Just” carries little meaning in the sentence. Often, writers use it to sound more polite, but it does not change the sentence. For example:

• Filler: Could you guys just be quiet for a minute, please?
• Better: Could you guys be quiet for a minute, please?

“Very” is over-used. Writers choose this word to add intensity to their statement, but its overuse makes it filler. Often, choosing a more specific word makes better sense.

• Filler: The new store was very crowded on opening day.
• Better: The new store was bustling on opening day.

Like “very,” “really” is an over-used English filler word that rarely helps the sentence. For example:

• Filler: I really want you to come over today.
• Better: I want you to come over today.

“Highly”, when used as an adverb, is filler in most instances. Instead, a more vivid verb will convey the same meaning with fewer words.

• Filler: She was highly annoyed at his antics.
• Better: She was irritated at his antics.

This word means completely or absolutely, but it has been over-used so much that it is often thrown into sentences with no meaning at all. For example:

• Filler: I totally didn’t understand what you were saying.
• Better: I didn’t understand what you were saying.

Simply is another word that is not necessary in a sentence. It technically means “in a straightforward or plain manner,” but when used as filler, it does not carry this meaning. For example:

• Filler: He simply wanted someone to listen to his needs.
• Better: He wanted someone to listen to his needs.

If you find yourself adding the word “most” to other adverbs, you are writing weakly. Keep it concise. For example

• Filler: He most especially liked cream in his coffee.
• Better: He especially liked cream in his coffee.

Somehow is another adverb that has little meaning in the sentence. If you can say the same thing without it, leave it off. For example:

• Filler: She somehow got her point across in spite of her stutter.
• Better: She got her point across in spite of her stutter.

10. Slightly

Saying something is “slightly” so makes the sentence boring. Instead, say what you mean. For example:

• Filler: After days of cloudy weather, the sunshine was slightly blinding.
• Better: After days of cloudy weather, the sunshine felt blinding.

11. Absolutely

If something is absolutely the case, you should not have to say it. Adding the word “absolutely” simply adds more words, not more meaning. Here is an example:

• Filler: She absolutely wanted to go but could not make time for it.
• Better: She wanted to go but could not make time for it.

12. Literally

While “literally” is a synonym for actually, people often use it to exaggerate. For example, saying, “I literally told you a thousand times,” when that’s unlikely to be true.

Even in the correct context, this word is still rarely necessary. Here is an example:

• Filler: I literally failed all my exams.
• Better: I failed all my exams.

13. Certainly 

“Certainly” is a word used to illustrate that the speaker believes something to be true or intends to do something. It can be used for emphasis, but you can convey the same point without it.

• Filler: I can certainly finish the project by tomorrow.
• Better: I can finish the project by tomorrow.

14. Honestly 

“Honestly” is a way to stress that you are being sincere, but your writing should be strong enough to gain readers’ trust without it. For example:

• Filler: Honestly, I didn’t enjoy the movie.
• Better: I didn’t enjoy the movie.

15. Personally 

“Personally” is a term speakers often use for emphasis or to stress that they’re not stating an objective fact. It’s rarely necessary as readers can typically differentiate between opinion and fact. Here’s an example: 

• Filler: Personally, I prefer the blue design.
• Better: I prefer the blue design.

“Quite” has a few meanings; it is used to place emphasis, to suggest the speaker is unsure about something or can be used instead of the words “completely” or “fully.” Either way, it makes for weak writing if used without cause. Here is an example:

• Filler: The test was quite difficult.
• Better: The test was difficult.

17. Perhaps

“Perhaps” is a word used when speakers are unsure about something. If you want to speak with confidence and authority, only use it when necessary. For example: 

• Filler: Perhaps we should try a different approach.
• Better: We should try a different approach.

“So” is a contraction and an adverb. It can be used for emphasis (“I’m so sad”) or as a more casual way to say “therefore.” Here is another example: 

• Filler: “So, we decided to postpone the meeting.”
• Better: “We decided to postpone the meeting.”

19. Completely

“Completely” means in every way and is used as a synonym for totally or for emphasis. You can usually get your point across without it. For example:

• Filler: “This idea is completely new to me.”
• Better: “This idea is new to me.”

20. Somewhat

“Somewhat” is a word used to mean to a moderate extent. It has a time and place, but when used unnecessarily, it weakens your writing. For example: 

• Filler: I’m somewhat tired after the hike.
• Better: I’m tired after the hike.

21. However

Depending on the context, “however” can be an adverb or a conjunction. It can be used to mean “in spite of” or “on the other hand.” Although it can serve a purpose, it’s easy to overuse. For example: 

• Filler: However, that doesn’t mean it’s inevitable. 
• Better: That doesn’t mean it’s inevitable. 

22. Utterly

“Utterly” is used to mean to a full extent or completely. It is typically used to place emphasis but should be used sparingly. For example:

• Filler: I am utterly devastated.
• Better: I am devastated. 

Another common problem in the English language, especially when speaking, is filler phrases. These typically have no meaning but are added while the speaker is thinking about what to say next. Here are some examples.

23. At the End of the Day

Saying “at the end of the day” usually means nothing. It can be left out completely without changing the meaning.

• Filler: At the end of the day, John believed her story.
• Better: John believed her story.

24. Believe Me

This is another filler phrase that shows up often in spoken English. The speaker is trying to get the listener’s attention and trust. For example:

• Filler: Believe me, I would have been happier without the barking dog moving in next door.
• Better: I would have been happier without the barking dog moving in next door.

25. You Know What I Mean?

This phrase is used in conversation, but in speeches and writing, it is unnecessary. It is a way to get the listener or reader to add their input. For example:

• Filler: I felt the workload was a bit intense, you know what I mean?
• Better: I felt the workload was a bit intense.

26. I Guess or I Suppose

Again, this is a conversation discourse marker, but it is not necessary in formal writing or speaking. Here is an example:

• Filler: I was planning to cook dinner tonight, but I guess we can eat at a restaurant.
• Better: I was going to cook dinner tonight, but we can eat at a restaurant. 

27. For What It’s Worth

“For what it’s worth” has no meaning in the sentence. Writers usually use this if they aren’t sure about the feelings of their readers. For example:

• Filler: For what it’s worth, we could start with the upperclassmen for picture day.
• Better: We could start with the upperclassmen for picture day. 

This phrase means nothing in the sentence. Hopefully, if you are saying or writing something, you mean it. For example:

• Filler: I mean, I’m sure she’s a nice lady, but I don’t enjoy her as a teacher.
• Better: I’m sure she’s a nice lay, but I don’t enjoy her as a teacher.

29. You Know

“You know” is a phrase used to imply the lister or reader already understands or relates to what’s being said. Here is how it is filler in the sentence:

• Filler: You know, we could just skip dinner and head straight for dessert.
• Better: We could just skip dinner and head straight for dessert.

30. Like I Said

This phrase can be helpful to pull the listener or reader back to something said previously, but it can also be overdone and turn into filler. For example:

• Filler: Like I said, you will be getting some new hires in your department next week.
• Better: You will be getting some new hires in your department next week. 

31. Or Something Like That

If you end a sentence with this, you are adding filler. It means nothing but shows you ran out of things to say and makes your writing or speaking weaker. For example:

• Filler: He suggested he was hoping for me to take a leadership position or something like that.
• Better: He suggested he was hoping for me to take a leadership position.

32. Kind of/Sort of

“Kind of” and “sort of” make it sound like the item you are discussing is not actually certain. Leaving off these words makes the writing stronger. For example:

• Filler: The dinner sort of smelled like tacos.
• Better: The dinner smelled like tacos.

33. And Etc.

Using “and” with “Etc.” is redundant. You can shorten this by saying “etc.” and leaving off the “and.” For example:

• Filler: The vet saw all kinds of animals, including dogs, cats, snakes, hamsters, and etc.
• Better: The vet saw all kinds of animals, including dogs, cats, snakes, hamsters, etc.

The phrase “due to the” is best substituted with a simpler word, like because. Here are some examples:

• Filler: The game was canceled due to the rain.
• Better: The game was canceled because it rained.

35. Empty Out

This phrase is redundant. To “empty” something means to remove its items out of it, so you do not need the “out.” For example:

• Filler: The high school emptied out quickly on the last day of school.
• Better: The high school emptied quickly on the last day of school.

36. For All Intents and Purposes

“For all intents and purposes” carries no meaning and makes a statement weak. For example:

• Filler: For all intents and purposes, I can say that you are my favorite person.
• Better: You are my favorite person.

37. In Terms Of

This is another phrase that is not helpful in the sentence’s meaning. Eliminate it to make the writing stronger. For example:

• Filler: In terms of salary, it was a good job offer.
• Better: The job offer had a good salary.

38. I Think/I Believe

Phrases like “I think” or “I believe” have a time and place. They illustrate that you’re stating an opinion and not a fact. The problem is that these phrases make your writing weak and are unnecessary if it’s already apparent that you’re sharing your thoughts. For example:

• Filler: I think we should invest more in research.
• Better: We should invest more in research.

39. Of Course

“Of course” can be used to emphasize agreement or to comment on something obvious. It should be avoided unless you must say it; otherwise, your sentences can be too wordy. For example: 

• Filler: Of course, we’ll need to get management’s approval.
• Better: We’ll need to get management’s approval.

40. In Order To

“In order to” is a phrase used to highlight the purpose of something or what must be done to achieve that. It’s not needed if the context is clear enough. Take a look at the examples below:

• Filler: In order to win, we must score more points.
• Better: To win, we must score more points.

41. In Fact

You will find “in fact” at the start of a sentence when a writer details some data or a statistic. As it should already be clear that you’re stating a fact, you can do without this in most cases. For example: 

• Filler: In fact, the data shows a significant increase.
• Better: The data shows a significant increase.

42. In Conclusion 

“In Conclusion” is used to summarize the points made in a text. Not only is this phrase unnecessary, but a concluding sentence may be, too, unless required by a style guide. For example:

• Filler: In conclusion, the speaker raised some excellent points.
• Better: The speaker raised excellent points.

43. Not To Mention

“Not to mention” is a phrase used to introduce another piece of information that backs up a point that has already been made. It’s easy to overuse.

• Filler: Not to mention, the impact this decision will have on the students will be disappointing.
• Better: The impact this decision will have on the students will be disappointing.

44. While That’s True/ While It’s True

“While that’s true” is a phrase a writer will use to argue against something that was previously shared while still considering the other perspective or facts. Carefully crafted text will allow readers to understand the point being made without using this phrase too often. For example:

• Filler: While it’s true the trip is expensive, I think the memories are worth the price tag.
• Better: The trip is expensive, but I think the memories are worth the price tag.

45. On The Other Hand

“On the other hand” is another way to acknowledge a contradictory point or weigh up the pros and cons. If there’s enough content, the phrase isn’t necessary. For example:

• Filler: I wanted to go to the party, but on the other hand, it was a school night.
• Better: I wanted to go to the party, but it was a school night.

Some filler words that find their way into written text come from speech patterns. While using them makes for casual conversation in real life, it’s unprofessional in formal writing. Here are some examples:

This is a pair of filler words that show up in writing because of the way we speak conversationally. You usually find them at the start of the sentence. For example:

• Filler: OK, so what she was saying is she wanted to go to the concert but couldn’t afford the ticket.
• Better: She was saying she wanted to go to the concert but couldn’t afford the ticket. 

Well can be an adjective or adverb, but it often shows up as filler in a sentence. For example:

• Filler: Well, he said he wanted to buy a new car, but the sticker price convinced him to choose a used model.
• Better: He said he wanted to buy a new car, but the sticker price convinced him to choose a used model.

Unless you are talking about a time, the word “now” has little meaning in the sentence. For example:

• Filler: Now, the little child’s pretentious attitude seemed cute.
• Better: The little child’s pretentious attitude seemed cute.

The phrase “all of” is redundant. You can simply say “all” and leave off the “of.” For example:

• Filler: She ate all of the cake the next day.
• Better: She ate all the cake the next day.

Writers put “still” at the beginning of a sentence to emphasize a point or in place of words like “however,” but you can do without it in most cases. For example:

• Filler: Still, we had a good time despite the delay.
• Better: We had a good time, despite the day.

If you like this type of list, we also created one about transition words .

FAQs on Filler Words

When writing, carefully evaluate every sentence to ensure the words have meaning. If there is a shorter or more impactful way to state something, your sentence has filler.

Aisling is an Irish journalist and content creator with a BA in Journalism & New Media. She has bylines in OK! Magazine, Metro, The Inquistr, and the Irish Examiner. She loves to read horror and YA. Find Aisling on LinkedIn .

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Filler Words: What Are They and How to Avoid Them?

Filler words are discourse markers often used to fill speech or writing gaps. They might seem harmless, but they can make you sound uncertain, unprepared, or both. Luckily, there are tricks to reduce word stuffing. 

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the most common filler terms, why you should stop using them, and some no-fuss tricks for avoiding them in formal writing and speech. 

Table of Contents

What Are Filler Words?

English filler words are also known as discourse markers . Native English speakers unintentionally use these words when they need help finding the right word or they’re still thinking about what to say next. 

In public speaking, filler terms can be a problem because they can make you appear uncertain or unprepared. They can also distract the audience and make your message less effective.

Using filler terms, however, is not limited to public speaking or conversations. You can also spot them in written text like essays or articles. 

In writing, you can use these words to emphasize a point or make a sentence sound more conversational. However, it can make your writing seem unclear and distract readers from the main issues you’re trying to convey.

What Are the Most Common Filler Phrases?

There are many filler phrases that people use in daily conversations and writing. However, these words add no value to your statement and only help bridge the gap between your thoughts. Below are the most common filler words that people use often. 

These are among the most popular verbal fillers you often use when you are hesitant or uncertain about something. 

When you use “um” or “uh,” it indicates that you are pausing to think of something or unsure what to say. “Um” shows that you are searching for the right word to use, while “uh” indicates that you’re having trouble expressing an idea or concept. 

 “Ah” is also a common filler word when you have just had an idea or have realized something. It expresses surprise or realization and relays a sense of pleasure or satisfaction in something. 

This is a filler word that is similar to “um,” “uh,” and “ah.” However, it indicates a more negative concern regarding something. People use “er” in a sentence to show doubt or a potentially even alarm concerning an action, statement, or thought. You can also use this word when unsure of the best course of action or decision to make. 

Very, Really, Highly

The words “very,” “really,” and “highly” are also words that fill gaps or pauses in a conversation. You can use it to emphasize a statement or express your emotions or feelings about something. 

The word “very” indicates a high degree of intensity, while “really” emphasizes a statement or expresses surprise or disbelief. On the other hand, the word “highly” indicates that something is of very high quality or worth. 

“Hmm” is another filler word used when thinking or considering something. It can pause a conversation or show that you are considering a question or comment. 

Overall, “Hmm” is a way to express uncertainty or hesitation in a conversation. Sometimes, people use it as a polite way to disagree with something or express skepticism. This word can also indicate that you are unsure of how to respond.

The word “like” is a commonly used stuffing phrase in speech and writing. It often shows that you are thinking or considering what to say. Using this word helps make a statement more tentative or less direct.

Unlike others, “just” is not always a filler word. People use it to indicate an action that occurred recently and as a synonym for merely. However, it qualifies as a filler word, particularly when overused in a sentence. In most cases, using too much of this word can also change the meaning of a sentence. 

The phrase “you know” is commonly used to fill pauses or gaps in conversation, making it a filler word. Many speakers use it when trying to think of the right word or when unsure how to proceed. 

“Right” is often used as a filler word in spoken language. It indicates that you are thinking during a conversation or to signal that you are about to say something. This way, “right” keeps the conversation moving forward without adding specific meaning or content. 

Totally, Literally, Seriously

These are among the most common filler phrases used in everyday speech. “Totally” indicates agreement or support for something, while “literally” emphasizes the truth or severity of a statement. 

On the other hand, “seriously” demonstrates that something is not a joke. It also expresses disbelief. While each of these words has a practical meaning, they can be fluff if misused. 

“Okay” is a word that can have a literal meaning when used to indicate agreement or acceptance of something. However, it becomes a filler word when you need help with what to say or when thinking of something. It’s also commonly used when you have completed a conversation and have nothing to add. 

Why Do People Use Filler Words?

In most cases, you may use filler expressions to help you think or organize your thoughts while speaking. 

You could also use fillers to reduce anxiety or nervousness while speaking. They help to break the silence and make you feel more comfortable. 

Filler phrases also serve as a  buffer , allowing you to take a moment to collect ideas without immediately jumping back into the conversation. 

Using these words can signal that you are still engaged in the conversation and actively listening to the speaker. 

Why Are Filler Words Bad?

The use of filler words hurts your speech and writing for multiple reasons. Firstly, they make you unsure or unconfident in what you say. They can also make your speech seem disorganized and unclear.

These words can also distract your listeners and prevent them from understanding your message. Using too many of them can indicate that you are nervous or unprepared.  Sometimes, it makes you look like you are lying. These terms also take up space and time in your speech, making it challenging to convey your message effectively.

How to Avoid Filler Words in Writing?

Filler phrases impact your writing and can make you look unprofessional. However, you can avoid them using the following tips; 

•  Plan and outline your writing before you begin. This will help you organize your ideas and prevent using these words while thinking about what to say next.
•  Be concise and direct in your writing. Avoid using words or phrases that add little to no value to your sentences. 
• Take the time to revise and edit. As you read through your work, pay attention to any filler phrases you may have and remove them. 

How to Avoid Filler Words in Speech?

When filler words appear in speech, they also make you look unprepared. Read our how to write a speech guide and apply the following tips: 

•  Practice speaking out loud with a friend or family member to become more aware of how you use stuffing words.
•  Pause before speaking to give yourself time to organize your thoughts.
•  Use alternative phrases to fill pauses, such as “let me think” or “let me see,” instead of using filler words.
•  Focus on delivering your message clearly and concisely, and avoid using filler phrases to fill gaps in your speech. 
•  Eliminate unnecessary phrases to create a compelling and engaging speech.

Filler terms are common in both speech and writing. While they seem to have no harm, they can make you seem unprepared or unconfident in whatever you say. Use the above tips to break this bad habit and make conversations more efficient. 

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20+ English Filler Words

“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....

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

“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!

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

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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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For example, when you tap on the word "searching," you see this:

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What Are Filler Words? When You Should—And Shouldn’t—Avoid Them

• What Are Filler Words?
• Filler Words In Speech
• When To Use Them
• When And How To Avoid Them

You know, sometimes, like, we really really use some words too much, right? So, um, maybe we can, I don’t know, learn about filler words . Filler words definitely appear in, like, literally all of our sentences when we talk to our, you know, friends. So, I guess it is okay to, well, basically use filler words sometimes. … I mean, is it?

People often use filler words, many of which are featured above, without even thinking about it. A friendly conversation might even sound weird without a single “um” or a “well.” However, filler words have a bad reputation, and many people think they have no place in formal writing and speech. Why? Before we can answer that, we need to learn what filler words are and why people tend to use them so much.

Learn how filler words impact public speaking, and other dos and don’ts to follow.

What are filler words?

In general, the term filler words refers to short words or phrases that are used in speech or writing for reasons beyond what the words themselves mean, such as to create a pause or to indicate someone isn’t finished speaking. There are many other terms used to refer to these words and phrases, such as filled pauses , hesitation markers , discourse markers , vocal disfluencies , and crutch words . As these names might suggest, filler words are commonly used in public speaking, typically as associated with (or feared by) inexperienced speakers. (Read: most of us.) However, the term filler words is often used to also refer to popular overused adverbs , adjectives , phrases, and other parts of speech that don’t add anything (besides length) to a person’s writing.

Filler words in speech

Often, it is assumed that we only use filler words in speech due to nervousness, lack of eloquence, lack of preparation, or even laziness. However, filler words are a natural part of our speech and are widely used even by native speakers. Filler words have meaningful purposes, such as making a statement sound less impolitely blunt or to give a listener time to digest the information we have provided to them. Taking a more psychological approach, a listener might unconsciously use filler words to stall for time while they think of something to say or their brain processes what they heard.

Examples of filler words in speech

Here some examples of common filler words that sneak into our speech all of the time:

Here is an example of a sentence that is … filled with filler words:

• Well, I, um, was waiting at the, uh, bus stop for, like, literally five hours, right, before the bus came.

Example of filler words in writing

There are some filler words that are particularly common in writing. The following list gives a few examples, a couple of which you’ll recognize as being common in speech, too:

When to use filler words

In casual or informal speech and writing, the occasional use of filler words is common and sounds natural to most people. For many people, it would probably even sound odd to talk to someone who didn’t use any filler words at all. In fact, students are often taught filler words when learning a new language—not just English!—because using them will make someone sound more like a natural speaker.

But what about consciously choosing to use filler words? In speech, you might prefer to use a sentence with filler words as an alternative to awkward silences. Giving your sentences time to breathe with filler words will help a listener digest what you’re saying and give them time to think of their response. Younger people are more likely to use filler words, so a speaker may decide to use them to sound more relatable and connect better with a younger audience. In writing, filler words are often used to make dialogue sound more natural or to give an article a casual tone.

When and how to avoid filler words

In formal writing, speeches, and presentations, filler words are widely viewed as being completely unacceptable, unless used for rhetorical effect. There are many reasons for this, with some of the more commonly cited being that they make a speaker/writer sound unprepared, unprofessional, uninformed, or lacking in confidence.

It can be difficult to cut filler words from speech, especially since public speaking makes many people nervous. For this reason, it is a good idea to practice a speech ahead of time and try to memorize it completely. If that isn’t enough, you could record your own speeches and listen to them again to learn which filler words you tend to use.

In writing, most people tend to have certain adverbs that they overuse, such as very , really , and seriously . It’s often advised not to overuse words like these because it makes a piece of writing seem weaker or less effective than writing that instead uses stronger verbs and nouns. Most of the time, words like very , really , or seriously can be easily removed. If you don’t want to get rid of the adverbs completely, you can also use our fantastic thesaurus to find synonyms of your favorite adverbs to add some variety.

Refresh your writing with these extended tips on how to avoid overusing very .

You have another great tool you can use to fix up your writing: Grammar Coach ™. Not only will Grammar Coach get rid of those pesky filler words, but it can handle all sorts of common writing missteps such as misspellings and punctuation problems!

Are you guilty of turning to these overused words? Learn which words are frequently used and what to try instead.

Ways To Say

Synonym of the day

To Cut or Not to Cut: Filler Words in Your Speech & Writing

Have you ever muttered something like “em” or “uh” while you paused to think of what to say next? We know you have. This article is about how those interjections detract from the quality of your speech or writing. In fact, they rob your listener or reader of their time. There are two main categories of interjections:

• Crutch words or gap fillers . We use these in our speech to avoid silence or to link different ideas. You’ll find better ways to reach these objectives below.
• Filler words . These are used in writing to make the text more fluent and coherent. They are often helpful, but when used in excess, they can clutter your piece of writing. Read on to learn the difference between the two.
• Top 13 Crutch Words
• Overcoming Crutch Words
• 48 Fillers You Should Drop

Bad & Better Examples

🗣️ crutch words that spoil your speech.

Everybody uses them, even Joe Biden . As a Vice President, he misused the word “literally.” Crutch words are more addictive than cigarettes. Unnecessary gap fillers can ruin your public speaking and business communication.

Top 13 Crutch Words & What They Say About You

• Honestly is used to emphasize your truthfulness. But why do you need it? This word indicates your self-doubt. Some people use it to hide a lie, so this crutch word generally makes your message less trustworthy.
• Actually is the most popular gap filler. It contains no information but tries (in vain) to intensify your statement. This word shows that you like to control everything and that you double-check every fact before believing it.
• Basically adds authority to a poorly conveyed statement. If this is your favorite crutch word, you prefer to make a long story short and summarize, emphasizing what matters the most. After talking for a long time, you sum up your message with this word. Basically, that’s it.
• Like is a meaningful word when used to compare two objects or people. But when used as a filler word, it sounds “teenagish.” If you often turn to this crutch word, you have the spirit of a child, and you like to be expressive.
• At the end of the day. In The English Language Laid Bare , Damp Squid says this is the most irritating phrase out of the two-billion words of the Oxford Corpus. Its synonym, “ultimately,” is also needlessly inserted in conversation. If this empty phrase is your favorite, you enjoy having a backstory even when there is nothing to add.
• Literally usually describes an action or fact that cannot be perceived literally. The speaker’s intention is to be understood in a strict sense. However, in most cases, this word is used with a symbolic statement or exaggeration. If you tend to say this filler word, you like to control how your listeners perceive your message.
• So is painfully close to “well.” When it does not indicate a cause-and-effect relationship, this word just steals your audience’s time. If this is your go-to word, you hesitate too much before starting anything new and take a lot of time to make a decision.
• Well . This crutch word shows that you don’t have much to say or struggle to express yourself. Most likely, public speaking is not one of your strengths. Unlike the other gap fillers, this one does not have an emotional component.
• Look invites the listener to see and understand your point of view. We mostly use it when we feel our listener is not paying attention or is opposed to what we are saying. It is an attempt to reach an agreement. If you use “look” often, you probably try to avoid conflicts and prefer to settle any issues peacefully.
• Awesome is similar to a “like” on Facebook. We answer with this single word to many things that are anything but awesome. If it is your common word, you keep your distance from people and try not to show your emotions. This crutch word often hides a lack of creative thinking.
• Really is equivalent to an extra exclamation point. When used sparingly, it draws the listener’s attention by making a pause in the intonation. If it is your favorite word, you enjoy irony and have a good sense of humor.
• Totally is very similar to “really,” but with a slight difference. Both intend to highlight your credibility (the result is quite the opposite) but “totally” underlines the superiority of your knowledge (not really).
• Great is a milder variant of “awesome.” It indicates your remoteness and lack of interest. Find a more original way to give praise or compliments.

Overcoming Crutch Words: Best Tips

Crutch words irritate listeners. Surprisingly, they irritate speakers as well, as soon as they start paying attention to them. But human communication is a complicated system with multiple factors, which makes it difficult to completely cut out these words. Still, here are four possible ways of reducing the number of times you rely on them.

What is the speed of thought? It takes 50 to 150 milliseconds for our brain to react to simple stimuli. When talking, we sometimes need to formulate our ideas in our mind before saying them. This “let me think” time is often filled with crutch words. If you slow down, you will have more time to come up with the right phrases. Listen to popular public speakers. They pause after each sentence. By the way, such pauses help the audience to analyze what has been said.

• Take a deep breath.

This is another way to slow down. When we speak, we exhale. Our body needs oxygen, so we need to inhale once in a while. Perceive commas and full stops as signs to breathe. Oxygen saturation influences our mental productivity and will help you think faster. With some practice, you can incorporate this method naturally without anyone noticing.

• Know what to say.

Have you noticed that the more nervous you get, the more crutch words you use? When our ideas are disorganized, we are ignorant of where our trail of thought will lead us. This confusion makes us stress out. Try instead to prepare a plan for your speech. That way, if you forget something and start getting nervous, you can review your plan and move to the next point. This strategy isn’t only useful for making your presentation structured; it is also a potent stress-reliever, and all public speakers use it.

Everything gets easier with practice. Many people are afraid of silence and try to avoid it using crutch words, but practice will make you more comfortable speaking. You can train at any public event. For example, you can congratulate someone during a special occasion by saying something more elaborate than just “Wishing you love and health.” Think about what else you can say, and avoid your usual crutch words.

We tend to use crutch words instead of saying, “let me think.” They give us a feeling of security, like a favorite teacup or slippers. The more we get nervous, the more often we employ crutch words. So is it worth it to eliminate them completely?

Our answer is no . Impeccable speech without gap fillers is lifeless and lacks rhythm. However, using these words wisely adds emphasis to specific points and emotionally influences the listener. They make us sound “natural” and relaxed. Plus, it might just be too hard to get rid of them completely.

✍️ Are Fillers Interest Killers? Filler Words in Writing

Fillers are not as harmful as crutch words. We control our writing more effectively than our speech because we can stop to think as long as we need. Still, you should omit some phrases to make your writing more engaging.

Some academic sources insist on using linking phrases, such as “moreover,” “however,” or even “having considered everything mentioned above.” Modern blogging and academia are moving away from this tradition and prefer the concept of concise writing. Fillers distract the reader from the main idea, often wasting their time.

Concise Writing: Why Does It Matter?

Post-modern society has witnessed a tendency to simplify everything it can. We are lost in a sea of unnecessary information. Research has found that we use only 37% of the information taught at school. Of course, there’s also the continuous flow of advertisement and social media updates that inundate us.

That is why information overload is the problem of the 21st century. Some years from now, scientists will probably find a way to decrease its effect, but for now we have only one option – to communicate more concisely. The definition of concise writing is simple: use as few words as possible to convey your message. You can check out a wide variety of free college essay samples in our database to see how a well-written paper without any fillers looks like. Below you will find some advice on how to slim down your word count.

48 Fillers You Should Drop to Write Concisely

If you intend to make your writing concise, avoid these words. We have grouped them into four categories for your convenience. In most cases, these English fillers are superfluous. Sometimes, however, fillers create a necessary rhythm or make the text sound “natural,” so you’ll need to review them on a case-by-case basis.

Redundant Words

Redundant words repeat the meaning of other words in the sentence. If it is possible to say the same thing in fewer words, always do so.

• Absolutely + necessary or essential:

Example: Love was absolutely essential to her happiness.

Revision : Love was essential for her happiness.

Example: The virus will be entirely eliminated.

Revision : The virus will be eliminated.

• Completely:

Example: He was completely sure the girl would say “yes.”

Revision : He was sure the girl would say “yes.”

Example: He could possibly become the next president.

Revision : He could become the next president.

• Brief + moment:

Example: For a brief moment, he remained speechless.

Revision : For a moment, he remained speechless.

• Ask + the question:

Example: I asked her a question about our plans.

Revision : I asked her about our plans.

• Actual + facts:

Example: The policeman submitted the actual facts about the case.

Revision : The policeman submitted the facts about the case.

• Accordingly:

Example: Accordingly, ask before making changes next time.

Revision : Ask before making changes next time.

• ATM machine: (The abbreviation “ATM” stands for “automated teller machine.”)

Example: The ATM machine is around the corner.

Revision : The ATM is around the corner.

Example: He entered in his childhood room.

Revision : He entered his childhood room.

• So or very:

Example: I was so glad to see him.

Revision : I was glad to see him.

• Still remains:

Example: The author still remains the most prominent figure of the 19th century.

Revision : The author remains the most prominent figure of the 19th century.

Nominalizations

Nominalization is when you use a noun instead of a verb or adjective. This practice usually slows the reader down. Since action words – like verbs – are more dynamic, you should try to avoid unnecessary nominalizations. Here are some examples:

• Definition:

Example: Her definition of self-care was getting enough sleep and eating well.

Revision : She defined self-care as getting enough sleep and eating well.

Example: The accuracy of our study was insufficient.

Revision : Our study was inaccurate.

• Description:

Example: Provide a description of the design you prefer.

Revision : Please describe the design you prefer.

• Had a discussion concerning:

Example: They had a discussion concerning the business perspectives.

Revision : They discussed the business perspectives.

• Had a conversation about:

Example: They had a conversation about their relationships.

Revision : They discussed their relationships.

• Have a need for:

Example: I have a need for a day off.

Revision : I need a day off.

• Increase in strength:

Example: Their love increased in strength.

Revision : Their love grew stronger.

• Is aware of:

Example: He was aware of her hatred.

Revision : He realized she hated him.

• Is in love with:

Example: They are in love with each other.

Revision : They love each other.

• Lack the ability to:

Example: I lack the ability to wake up early in the morning.

Revision : I cannot wake up early in the morning.

• Make a decision to:

Example: I couldn’t make a decision to end our communication.

Revision : I couldn’t decide to end our communication.

Example: His reaction offended me.

Revision : The way he reacted offended me.

Vague Words

Vague language is common in colloquial speech, but in writing, it looks unprofessional. Vague words lack solid definitions. Avoid the words below or replace them, following the instructions.

Example: About 100 visitors left reviews.

Revision : Approximately 100 visitors left reviews.

Example: It was almost time to leave.

Revision : They left a few minutes later.

Example: You need to get stronger.

Revision : You need to become stronger.

• Get out of:

Example: The building is on fire; get out of it.

Revision : You need to exit the building because it’s on fire.

• Individual:

Example: Any individual shall have a place of residence.

Revision : Any person shall have a place of residence.

Example: My initial thought was to leave.

Revision : At first, I thought to leave.

• You’re going to have to:

Example: You’re going to have to finish this at home.

Revision : You must finish this at home.

• Make available:

Example: Our service makes available multiple useful features.

Revision : Our service presents multiple useful features.

Example: We left the area.

Revision : We left the country.

Example: Planning is my least favorite aspect of traveling.

Revision : I like to travel, but I do not like to plan.

Example: The situation grew dangerous.

Revision : The uprising grew dangerous.

• Small, big, good, or bad:

Example: He was a good person.

Revision : He was a kind and caring person.

Empty Phrases

Empty phrases mean nothing in the literal sense. By the way, “in the literal sense” is also a meaningless phrase. These words distract the reader from your message and can sound colloquial. In many cases, you can do without them or replace them with a more meaningful construction.

All things being equal:

Example: All things being equal, we will earn twice as much next year.

Revision : If all goes well, we will earn twice as much next year.

• Due to the fact that:

Example: Due to the fact that he is a doctor, he minds his health.

Revision : Since he is a doctor, he minds his health.

• For all intents and purposes:

Example: For all intents and purposes, the protagonist will die in the end.

Revision : In the end, the protagonist will die.

• For the most part:

Example: For the most part, I like Chinese food.

Revision : I like Chinese food.

• For the purpose of:

Example: I go in for sport for the purpose of keeping in shape.

Revision : I go in for sport to keep in shape.

Example: Go ahead and kill that bug.

Revision : Kill that bug.

• Harder than it has to be:

Example: The woman made their relationship harder than it had to be.

Revision : The woman made their relationship harder than necessary.

• Here’s the thing:

Example: I’ll tell you the story. Here’s the thing.

Revision : I’ll tell you the story. Once upon a time…

• I feel/believe that:

Example: I believe that I am capable of doing it.

Revision : I am capable of doing it.

• I might add:

Example: He is handsome, I might add.

Revision : He is handsome.

• Integrate with each other:

Example: The devices must integrate with each other to function correctly.

Revision : The devices must integrate to function correctly.

• In terms of:

Example: His new position was perfect in terms of salary.

Revision : The salary was perfect in his new position.

Example #1: A Bad Cover Letter

In the follow-up to my job application, please kindly consider this cover letter.

First of all, I have been working as a teacher for multiple years. My initial experience started at the nursery school in the local area. However, I also tutored several classes in Junior School. Secondly, during the vacations, I arranged outdoor events for pupils who stayed at home and did not have a chance to travel. Thirdly, my passion to communicate with children is the definition of my work.

In terms of in-class atmosphere, I created a nurturing and friendly environment where all the children felt comfortable. In addition, I rigorously prepared the plans for each day, week, and term. Furthermore, I established strict rules of behavior in the classroom and outdoors and entirely ensured their observance.

I might add that I do my best for the purpose of comprehensive development of children and their successful integration into adult life. I possibly try to integrate contemporary teaching methods with each other to generate my own teaching style.

To conclude, I believe that my skills and knowledge are completely sufficient for the position of Junior School teacher. I feel that my experience will make a good contribution to the tutoring process.

Example #2: A Better Cover Letter

I have been working as a teacher for five years. My working experience started at Dallas Nursery School. I also tutored several classes in Junior School. During the vacations, I arranged outdoor events for pupils who stayed at home. My work is centered around my passion to communicate with children.

I created a nurturing and friendly environment where the children felt comfortable. I prepared specific plans for each day, week, and term. I established rules of behavior in the classroom and outdoors and ensured their strict observance.

I do my best to support the children’s comprehensive development and their successful integration into adult life. I try to incorporate contemporary teaching methods and generate my own personal teaching style.

My skills and knowledge make me a perfect fit for the position of Junior School teacher. My experience will tangibly contribute to the tutoring process.

In the above example, all the filler words were deleted to illustrate how informative and concise your writing can look without them. But you can still use them on occasion to sound natural and spontaneous. The principal criterion here is to write or say every word consciously. Excessive wordiness can hide the meaning you intend to convey. Besides, lengthy texts are read less attentively.

If you can say a phrase with fewer words, be sure to do so. Avoid filler and crutch words as much as possible. Please share your “favorite” words and phrases in the comments below. Which linguistic habit would you like to get rid of?

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Avoid Fillers and Unnecessary Words in Writing

Whether you are writing a research paper , a dissertation , or another kind of academic writing , creating sentences that are strong and concise is important in conveying your message and arguments to your audience. In this article on writing and editing for wordiness (i.e., how to reduce word count), we focus on something you may not know you are doing: using too many filler words.

Why You Should Avoid Filler Words in Writing

Filler words are unnecessary words that many writers use, either intentionally or unintentionally, that do not contribute to clarifying their points or arguments. For example,  take a close look at this very sentence because there are some things we did here that you probably weren’t aware were problematic!  By reading this article, we hope you realize how toxic fillers are to your writing. So, if you want to draft more powerful sentences, read on!

Removing Fillers & Unnecessary Words

If you look at the last sentence of the preceding paragraph, you’ll find us guilty of our category 3 wordiness offense! That is, we used many filler words that we should have eliminated. (By the way, if you’re wondering what our other categories are, we’ve written about two others so far— nominalizations  and  preposition errors —and we’ll share a few more with you over the next few weeks!)

What are unnecessary words (filler words)?

Fillers are words that add no substantive meaning to a sentence and merely “fill the space.” Why are we discussing fillers (typically a habit from spoken language) when we’re writing about editing? Simply put, more often than we realize, we write how we speak. Take our blog, for example. We’ve intentionally written this in a conversational tone. (Have you found some of the fillers we’ve used?) While it’s okay for us to do so (since we’re not worried about word count and are aiming to deliver you informative and fun editing advice), if we were writing an academic or research paper, however, we would be more careful to write concisely.

For general and academic writing purposes, avoid fillers and other unnecessary words and phrases.

Let’s look at the following examples:

• There is an octopus sitting on top of my car.
• This is actually an interesting question.
• In order to apply the new method to our entire system, perhaps we should perform a local test.

Can you spot the fillers and other unnecessary words in the above sentences? Grammatically, these sentences are correct, but they would be shorter if we remove some unnecessary words.

• There is  an octopus sitting on top of my car. [10 words]
• This is  actually  an interesting question. [6 words]
• In order to  apply the new method to our  entire  system,  perhaps  we should perform a local test. [18 words]

Let’s look at the revisions below.

• An octopus  is sitting on my car. [7 words]
• This question  is interesting. [4 words]
• We should perform a local test  before applying  the new method to  our system . [14 words]

As shown in the examples above, eliminating filler words can significantly reduce your word count! On average, we’ve cut the word count of the sentences above by 25-30%. Look at your most recent writing. Now imagine it 25-30% leaner by eliminating fillers alone. Amazing, right? Wait until you apply our other word-count reduction rules!

How to Identify and Revise Fillers

To help you strengthen your writing and editing skills, we have compiled  a list of common fillers and other unnecessary words and phrases, below. While you can revise words and phrases in many ways, we’ve prepared some suggestions that work well in most situations.

Can you think of any other filler words you use regularly? After seeing our examples above, how would you edit your fillers? An even better way to ensure that your academic work is ready for submission to journals for publication is to receive  English editing services  from a professional editing service like Wordvice.

In the meantime, if you’d like to try a few more exercises, please see the example sentences below and see if you can remove the filler words.

• In the end, we’d like to choose option A.
• We just need to move on to the next task; otherwise, we’ll really run out of time.
• While we believe this project can be completed in three months, in order to do so, we will need to incur additional costs.
• In the event that I don’t make it on time, please start without me.
• With reference to the new project, it is possible that we will start next month.
• It is important to note that you can apply to the program at any time you want; however, due to the fact that we admit participants on a rolling basis, we may have no room left if you wait too long.

Answer key:

• We’d  like to choose option A.
• We need  to move on to the next task; otherwise,  we’ll run  out of time.
• While this  project can be completed in three months,  to  do so, we will need to incur additional costs.
• If  I don’t make it on time, please start without me.
• We can start  the new project next month.
• You  can apply to the program at any time; however, if you wait too long, we may not have any room  because  we admit participants on a rolling basis.

Wordvice Resources

In addition to filler words, writers often have questions about many other writing issues, such as what verb tenses to use in academic writing , how to use the active and passive voice , and various sentence structure rules . You can find answers to these and many other writing and grammar questions by visiting Wordvice’s Academic Resources and Writing & Editing Guide . 

Wordvice offers a full suite of English editing services and professional proofreading services . If you produce writing for business, check out our business editing services , which include report editing and document editing , before publishing those important documents or forwarding them to your clients and coworkers.

Additionally, before submitting your writing to your professor or journal for publication, be sure to receive academic editing services by professional editors , including dissertation editing and thesis editing to make sure your document is polished and ready for submission.

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Eliminating Words

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1. Eliminate words that explain the obvious or provide excessive detail

Always consider readers while drafting and revising writing. If passages explain or describe details that would already be obvious to readers, delete or reword them. Readers are also very adept at filling in the non-essential aspects of a narrative, as in the fourth example.

2. Eliminate unnecessary determiners and modifiers

Writers sometimes clog up their prose with one or more extra words or phrases that seem to determine narrowly or to modify the meaning of a noun but don't actually add to the meaning of the sentence. Although such words and phrases can be meaningful in the appropriate context, they are often used as "filler" and can easily be eliminated.

Here's a list of some words and phrases that can often be pruned away to make sentences clearer:

• for all intents and purposes

3. Omit repetitive wording

Watch for phrases or longer passages that repeat words with similar meanings. Words that don't build on the content of sentences or paragraphs are rarely necessary.

4. Omit redundant pairs

Many pairs of words imply each other. Finish implies complete, so the phrase completely finish is redundant in most cases.

So are many other pairs of words:

• past memories
• various differences
• each individual _______
• basic fundamentals
• important essentials
• future plans
• terrible tragedy
• final outcome
• past history
• unexpected surprise
• sudden crisis

A related expression that's not redundant as much as it is illogical is "very unique." Since unique means "one of a kind," adding modifiers of degree such as "very," "so," "especially," "somewhat," "extremely," and so on is illogical. One-of-a-kind-ness has no gradations; something is either unique or it is not.

5. Omit redundant categories

Specific words imply their general categories, so we usually don't have to state both. We know that a period is a segment of time, that pink is a color, that shiny is an appearance.

In each of the following phrases, the general category term can be dropped, leaving just the specific descriptive word:

• large in size
• often times
• of a bright color
• heavy in weight
• period in time
• round in shape
• at an early time
• economics field
• of cheap quality
• honest in character
• of an uncertain condition
• in a confused state
• unusual in nature
• extreme in degree
• of a strange type

30 Filler Words To Cut Out Of Your Writing (Infographic)

To help you improve your writing, we’ve shared this infographic on 30 filler words to cut out of your writing .

What is a padding or filler word?

According to Collins Dictionary :

‘Padding is unnecessary words or information used to make a piece of writing or a speech longer. Synonyms: waffle [informal , mainly British] , hot air [informal] , verbiage, wordiness’

In Business Writing

Weak or inexperienced business writers often use ‘filler’ or padding words to make their articles, reports, or speeches longer. These words are mostly redundant and add nothing to the meaning of the piece. These words turn readers off. They will become bored and stop reading your writing.

[Read  6 Ways To Shorten Your Sentences And Improve Your Writing  and How To Deflate Those Inflated Phrases ]

In Creative Writing

Beginner creative writers do the same thing when they write their first novels. Mostly, we do this to meet word counts and because we do not have a plot. Filler words in creative writing include the overuse of adverbs and adjectives.  Using these words also makes you ‘tell’ rather than ‘show’. If you write well, using strong verbs and precise nouns, you will show. Weak verbs make you tell.

[Read  5 Incredibly Simple Ways to Help Writers Show and Not Tell  and  3 Simple Ways To Show And Not Tell ]

30 Filler Words To Cut Out Of Your Writing

This infographic from Grammar Check includes some of the filler words that weaken your writing.

Source for Infographic: Grammar Check

If you want to learn how to write a book, join our  Writers Write  course in Johannesburg or sign up for our  online course .

If you enjoyed this infographic, you may like these:

• The Oxford Comma
• How To Write A Cover Letter – Step By Step
• 15 Common Writing Mistakes That English Language Learners Make
• 21 Important Grammar Rules To Remember
• Grammar , Infographic , Writing Tips from Amanda Patterson

© Writers Write 2022

Microsoft 365 Life Hacks > Writing > Recognizing & Avoiding Filler Words

Recognizing & Avoiding Filler Words

Hemming and hawing may have its place, but chances are that place isn’t in your next presentation or piece of writing. Learn how to recognize common filler words, then work to reduce your use of them.

What are Filler Words?

Any word written or said that doesn’t add to the meaning of a sentence is technically a filler word. In the previous sentence, removing the word “technically” doesn’t change the meaning of the sentence, so “technically” is, itself, technically a filler word.

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Common Filler Words in Speech & Writing

Whether you’re chatting with a colleague or presenting during a meeting, you may find one or more of these filler words or phrases coming out in your speech:

• For what it’s worth
• In my (humble) opinion
• It goes without saying/needless to say
• Really/very

All these filler words can pop up in your writing, too, so be on the lookout for them there as well.

Filler Words Most Common in Speech

Filler words that are almost exclusive to oral expression include:

• You know (what I mean)

It’s not often you’ll find occasion to write “uh” or “um” unless you’re working on dialog, so you probably don’t have to worry about speech filler words showing up in your writing.

What Does it Mean When Someone Uses Filler Words?

The use of filler words can signal a few different things:

• Being diplomatic. If someone’s hemming and hawing after being asked something the answer to which may be unkind, an “uh,” “um,” or “well” might blunt the blow of all that honesty.
• Holding onto attention or the speaking role. When going silent or pausing signals that the floor open for someone else to speak, deploying filler words can help retain your turn to speak.
• Jumping into a conversation. An effective interjection doesn’t have to be a meaningful word—just pivot the audience’s focus. “Actually,” “well,” and “although” can all be used to verbally step into a conversation or presentation.
• Taking up space. Whether trying to make an assignment’s wordcount creep up or preventing someone else from talking, taking up space is a common use of filler words.
• Taking up time. Looking up the answer to a question during a meeting or in court can often come with some filler words to buy some time.

How to Avoid Filler Words in Writing

As tried and true a method for lengthening a research paper as futzing with the margins, filler words help a concise essay expand into a meandering treatise. Even middle school students know, though, that longer isn’t always better when it comes to your writing. Here are tips for trimming the fat from your next written project:

• Keep meaning in mind. Everything you put on the page should add to the meaning of the work. This can get tricky, though, because what may seem like filler might actually be meaningful—especially words or phrases that punctuate a point.
• Edit judiciously. Look for anything superfluous and cut it out. Then, review your work again. And again. Don’t be precious about your work. If you’re worried that you may cut something you need, take advantage of versioning and version control available through your word processor or cloud storage, like Microsoft OneDrive’s version history feature .
• When in doubt, leave it out. Take advantage of built-in editors, like Microsoft Editor , to gut check how concise your sentences are.

How to Avoid Filler Words in Speech

It’s been shown that while filler words don’t offer much in the way of written content, they’re often important to spoken content. i But the more formal a moment, the less appropriate filler words are. A presidential address inspires less confidence if it’s riddled with filler words. In fact, studies have shown that listeners assume that the use of filler words means the speaker is unprepared. ii But how can you set about avoiding these words in your own speech?

• Beware and be aware. Knowing is half the battle, right? Do your best to recognize which filler words you default to—and what situations cause you to break them out.
• If it’s a prepared speech, practice. Public speaking is often practiced , but you can also practice talking points for presentations that invite an exchange with the audience. The more you practice, the less likely you are to use a filler word. For every minute of presentation, do an hour of practice. iii
• Wait to speak until you know what to say. If you’re unsure what to say next—and there’s no risk of someone jumping in to interrupt you—simply pause rather than take up time or space with “uh” and “um.”
• Calm down. Whether you’re calmed by practicing, deep breathing, or choosing one person in the audience to focus on, rooting yourself in calm will help your speaking come more naturally.

Finding ways to cut down on filler is a step toward more clear, powerful speaking and writing. Just make sure you don’t trim away meaning or personality while you cut out the fluff.

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Filler Words for Essays: How to Avoid Them

Table of Contents

Drop Filler Words for Essays: How to Write Better

Your writing is too long. How do we know? You drop filler words for essays and didn’t cut words from your writing.

When you write, you want to drop filler words for your essays because they’re like little rocks in the river of language. They rob you of fluidity.

You might have seen how people can write 1,001 words and still not say it all — it’s called wordiness.

A wordy writer is not a lazy writer. The problem is that too many writers use filler words to make their writing more readable.

Let’s talk about what filler words are and why you should drop filler words for essays. 

Understanding Filler Words and Their Impact

Writers use filler words at the end of a sentence to add emphasis, express emotion, or slow down the sentence. 

They often make a sentence sound more formal and polite. For example, it’s a little more formal to say “You should’ve let me know that” than “You should’ve called me.”

Since grammar rules are complicated and subject to many exceptions, the best way to learn them is to practice and play. Try to cut as many filler words as possible. 

For example, the sentence “I’m going to the store, please wait for me” can be written as “I’m going to the store, please wait.” Cut out all unnecessary words so as to enjoy fluent writing. 

The best way to drop filler words for essays is to use different words and sentences with few repeated words . Use as many adjectives and adjectives as needed in your writing! It’s all up to you. 

Remember, writing is supposed to be a creative expression rather than a copy purely meant to convey facts and data. 

Steps to Avoid Filler Words in Your Writing

• Write your essay by breaking it down into smaller pieces to get it done. Common filler words that people habitually use even in speech are “well,” “you know,” “so,” “like,” and “for example.” 
• Don’t begin sentences with words like “since” or “as.”
• Use paradoxes that are opposing ideas. “The cost of our lives is greater than the cost…
• Don’t go for simple words like “it’s” and.”
• Avoid saying “It was like…” instead, say “It was like that.”
• Notice where you might be unwittingly repeating yourself
• Choose your words carefully because they stick

If there are problems with your writing, perhaps it will irritate or aggravate your reader. The relevance of the word “too long,” no matter where it lies, varies considerably depending on your medium and the reader’s stamina. 

There are various ways to make writing meaningful and lean. One sure way is to find sentences to delete without loss of meaning.

This method entails finding flabby sentences or words cutting through the entire manuscript rather than individual words or sections.

Overwriting usually means you focus on yourself instead of the reader, which ultimately means your message will be lost.

Sometimes, a writer could continuously use the same word or phrase, albeit unconsciously. Learn to say what you need to say once. Continuous repetition of words irritates, bores, or puts readers to sleep.

Strategies to Improve Your Essay

• It is best to remove the majority of “that.” Writers should use “that” to indicate a grammatical need or deliberate emphasis.
• Start and end sentences with strong words. Restructure sentences to begin and end with nouns or verbs rather than prepositions or filler words when possible. “Jane was kind of petty” rather than “Besides all that, she was petty, kind of.”
• Put strong words in anchor positions and pay essential attention to the sounds. Emphatic sentences come out good when sharp consonant sounds like d, g, k, p, etc. are in place.
• Word cloud helps. Copy-pasting your entire document with an online tool like Wordle will create a picture of all the words you use. 

Flabby words make the reading of the essay seem less cohesive and less focused. They add noise to the text and make it harder to read. Always be on the lookout for flabby words and take steps to minimize their effects.

Are flabby words the same as fillers? Flabby words are words that have no contribution to the sentence. They can be flukes, fillers, or dead words. 

Flukes are flabby words that don’t add any information to the sentence. Fillers are flabby words that appear in the sentence without any grammatical role.

Dead words are flabby words that don’t fit into the flow of the sentence. They often appear in the sentences as if they have their role to play, and it is confusing to the reader. In both cases, the primary purpose of a flabby word is not to add information to the sentence. 

Grammar expletives are obnoxious words that go entirely against proper word usage. They are words that shouldn’t exist in the English language, but here we are nonetheless. 

Explanations used to introduce clauses (not to be confused with cuss words) delay the sentence’s subject. Expletives do not add any tangible meaning to verbs or nouns, which play a specific role in expression.

Grammar expletives may be used at the beginning and end of a sentence to express emotion or emphasis. There are many expletives, but only a few are considered grammatically correct. 

It’s never easy to get rid of grammar expletives from a piece of writing. This is because the writer will probably have to rethink the entire essay.

There are some common grammar expletives that you should avoid if you want your paper to come out clean. Words like “then,” “and,” “but,” “never,” “so,” and “yet.” These words don’t just belong on essay topics and papers. They should be banned entirely. 

Before you write, take a look at the expletives you want to remove and jot down a note about what they are. Spend some time reading your note and figuring out how you want your final essay to look after the expletive removal.

Identifying and Eliminating Redundant Words

Redundant words are unnecessary additions to your writing. They are a sign of a weak vocabulary and lack of creativity. They are common and non-urgent and should be left out of your essay. Removing redundant words will make your essay less wordy and cleaner. 

The most effective essays are clear, concise, and to the point. When you are writing, you must be careful about your words. Words like and, is, are, are, that, or too should be used only when they are necessary. 

If your essay can be easily rewritten without using any of these words, you have used too many of them. Your writing is not good if you always have too much information and a lot of it is redundant. If you must include all of this information, then it indicates that you have not written enough on the topic. 

A good essay should be short, concise, and to the point. That is the only way to make your essays interesting and understandable to your readers. 

Avoiding Colloquial Expressions in Formal Writing

Colloquial expressions are phrases or slang words that many people in popular culture might use. They are typically informal and are distinctive to a specific region or group of people. They also create sound effects, lighten the overall tone, and often express opinions. Colloquial expressions also often carry a cultural stigma that might affect the tone of a speech or essay. 

Here are some colloquial expressions that you might use: The cheapest way to get high is: to smoke, drink, or eat.

Colloquial expressions, just like filler words, undermine the effect you want your reader to have. When writing an essay, it is recommended to fine-tune colloquialisms to formal equivalents.

Clichés (such “as time will tell’ and ‘as luck would have it), Idioms (‘a drop in the ocean’ and ‘cut to the chase’), and fillers (‘very,’ ‘so’ and ‘even.’) Are types of colloquial language that are inappropriate for formal writing .

Readers could misinterpret clichés because they are not specific in meaning. Idioms can be understood and taken literally, while fillers detract from the effectiveness of sentences. Avoid them!

Drop filler words for essays. Avoid using words that don’t bring anything to your piece that you can’t already do with a more concise word. 

If a word is dull, overly wordy, or simply unnecessary, it should be removed. If you can’t think of any words that could be removed, the essay is probably full of filler and can’t be saved. 

Using filler words can cause the essay to sound more haphazard and disordered, making it less engaging.

Pam is an expert grammarian with years of experience teaching English, writing and ESL Grammar courses at the university level. She is enamored with all things language and fascinated with how we use words to shape our world.

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A blog about writing.

Fix Fluff Words – 14 Fillers for Writers to Avoid

By Kris Maze

Cutting out filler in your novel isn’t easy. Taking the time to tighten up your writing can make readers buy your books and turn an editor’s tired eye. How can writers take a thorough approach to editing out extraneous words?

“Search and Destroy” is what one editor told me while cleaning up my manuscript.  It’s tough to hear, but there are words that writers simply need to kill. In the spirit of clarity, of course. Perhaps this post with a detailed list can help you work through your writing and save you time.

Why is it important to cut these words? 

Fluffy phrases cause our readers to think of naps and soft pillows and putting down our wonderful books.  No writer wants that to happen, so we work with care to unearth the words that cause the reader to pause.  Keep your reader from thinking about nachos or kittens or their shopping list. Whatever is on their mind, dear writer, it is no longer your story. And that is a terrible waste of time and mind-space.

It’s true that fiction writers are destined to break the rules of convention to make a creative point. But many writers overuse these no-go phrases. We can use these extra words sparingly, but only with the finesse that can wow the reader. Using filler words must justify the potential fluff factor with an unexpected twist or clever turn, or they shouldn’t be used at all.

We want our readers to keep turning pages and to do this we need to remove blockages they may encounter.  Too many words, when a simple description will suffice, makes readers skim. Skimming is as bad as setting the book at the bedside. Let’s get our books ready to read by removing the excess, and in the process, have more writer success.

Use this list to help in your editing process. Keep your readers engaged and consider editing out these phrases to enhance your story. It’s daunting, but one can look for these word-culprits and delete, delete, delete.

Lose the Fluff!

Vague Words, Let Us Be Clear

One way to tighten your writing is to use more specific vocabulary and avoid vague phrases that include the word ‘some’.  Someone, something, sometime may be tempting to use, but they often muddle the real details your reader needs to know. There are many variants of the SOME family, get rid of them all. 

Other phrases in this category include: one of , thing , and stuff . Your word-crutch words may include other phrases too.  Notice what these are while editing and add to your own key-words-to-kill list. Being aware of your common filler words will help you avoid them in the future. 

Do a find search in your document to see how many of these vague words are lurking in your story. Add specific details and actions where these words show up.  This can provide clarity for your reader and draw them further into your action.

Words to Search:

To be or not to be cut.

Be verbs and gerunds are indicators of loose fluff on your pages and should be considered when editing.  A be verb followed by a gerund (a grammar term for a verb used as a noun that ends in - ing ) is a common construction that slows the action for a reader.  Try these sentences in this basic example:

Words to search:

Internalization.

Internal thoughts, feelings, and states of mind are another source of fluff to cut. Writers get a tighter story when they use other techniques to express what is on the character’s mind. If it makes sense, a writer could also simply add the thoughts to dialogue. 

One way to fix these internal musings is with italics. Use italics to show what they think, feel, or realize is a mental process within the narration. See the example we used above:

Another way to fix internalizations is to show the action that causes this idea or feeling in the POV character.  Show the reader what is happening to pull them deeper into the story. 

If they are reading about what the characters are feeling there is a disconnect between the reader and the story.  If they are immersed in what happens at that moment , they will feel these connections and discover key story elements for themselves.  And that makes reading a pleasurable page turning experience.

See this now modified example from the simplified version above:

Details can add a vivid picture of what happens in the story.  It draws the reader in and leaves them with questions about what happens next.  Who is the journalist?  Why is someone looking into the window?  Are they a hired detective? What do they want to find?  Are they CIA? Who is the woman? Why does she have the numbers to a secret safe? What motivation does she have?   Writing details like these will compel a reader to continue to the next page and chapter.  It adds much more than the filler words ‘he realized there was criminal activity a foot.’

Very and Other Distracting Modifiers

Using Very has been discussed in writing groups often.  Eliminating this word has been quoted  by Mark Twain when he famously asked writers to replace the word ‘very’ with ‘damn’ and it will be deleted by their editor.  I also appreciate the argument made by a fictional teacher…

“So avoid using the word ‘very’ because it’s lazy. A man is not very tired, he is exhausted. Don’t use very sad, use morose. Language was invented for one reason, boys—to woo women—and, in that endeavor, laziness will not do. It also won’t do in your essays.” —N.H. Kleinbaum,  Dead Poets Society

Other phrases like rather , quite , and really accomplish very little in a story also. Try a search on these wor

With fine tuning the places where you see the word are places to look for the more apt word.  When choosing a replacement for very phrases there are a few ways it can improve your story. 

• Does the new word heighten the genre or theme of your story?
• If the word is spoken or a thought, does the word choice exemplify the unique aspects of that story character?
• Can the words you choose add a literary element to your writing?  Rhyming or great cadence also draw readers into your work.
• Very and the following words that are being described

Adverbs and Other Sins

Personally, I am a fan of using adverbs like a little dash of salt in my stories, but it is well-known in writing circles that one must avoid using adverbs.  Adverbs, or the words that describe how an action occurs, are often an easier way to show the reader what exactly is happening in your story.

Look for how you described actions throughout your manuscript.  Do you have places to strengthen your writing with clear crisp descriptions?  Try adding setting elements, characterizations, and specific actions to better describe what is happening.

• Words describing how an action occurs
• Look for words that end in - ly

Never Use Always

Absolutes are on the list because they don’t say what is happening in the story. Never means someone has zero possibility of occurring. Is that true? 

If there is a case where it could be true, is it worth writing it in or eliminating the word for clarity? Dogs don’t always chase cats. Teenagers are not always moody. It doesn’t always rain in the Pacific Northwest.  It’s also not true that allegedly George Washington never told a lie. 

Never and always usually add distraction to your story.  Unless it is a specific, definitive point, consider eliminating these extra words. Try using juxtaposing ideas instead, like in this simplified example:

Try an example using always.

• Other words showing absolutes

Tips for Reviewing your Manuscript for Phrases to remove

• Read your work aloud or use the read feature found in many writing software programs.
• Critique another writer’s work and use a similar list to cut. Using fresh eyes of another writer (and doing the same for them) can help reveal phrases you may overuse.
• Try the Find command in Word or other writing program.

However you accomplish your editing tasks, try cleaning up your writing by pulling these phrases from your work. Watch for my next post when we go over more words to cut from the comprehensive list.

Do you have tips for editing filler words from your writing?  Do you have a phrase or word that you overuse?  Share in the comments below. 

* * * * * *

Kris Maze is an author, writing coach, and teacher. She has worked in education for many years and writes for various publications including  Practical Advice for Teachers of Heritage Learners of Spanish  and the award-winning blog  Writers in the Storm   where she is also a host. You can find her horror stories and keep up with her author events at  her website .

A recovering grammarian and hopeless wanderer, Kris enjoys reading, playing violin and piano, and spending time outdoors.

And occasionally, she knits.

23 comments on “Fix Fluff Words – 14 Fillers for Writers to Avoid”

Thanks for these helpful words! One nitpicky question: Did Sherlock say 'the game is afoot,' or 'the game is a foot'?

Sherlock could have said "aninch." Or perhaps "ayard." But assuredly he chose to say "afoot."

Ai-yah! Love it.

Thank you, Anna! I'd have to dig in more to find an answer, but you provided one instead. Are you a mystery writer?

Great comment, Dave. I'll have to look into it for an apt response!

Glad you like the list and hope you catch part 2 coming soon.

The two biggest culprits of dull writing are missing here:

That and Had.

That can mostly be deleted without issue or the sentence rewritten. Had is the same.

He had gone to the grocery store. He went to the grocery store. She knew that he was the victim. She knew he was the victim.

Some books, even by bestselling authors, use had in almost every sentence. It's utterly distracting.

Right on, Albert! My natural inclination for "that" during drafting makes me insane during the editing phase.

"That" is often extraneous. However, "had gone" is not the same as "went". The first was already past in the past; the second is simple past tense.

This is worth printing and posting next to my computer!

Thank you, Sam. There is more to come. I often found myself adding words to my own editing list over time. Part 2 will cover how to tailor your list to your needs and more.

Do it, Sam!

I would agree, except in dialogue. If we want our dialogue to sound as "natural" as possible (without bending to the ridiculous extremes) aren't some of these words going to appear and be almost required? The dialect I'm most familiar with is the "present progressive" which shows immediate action. "She started preparing dinner" says she is in the process of it when the ensuing action happens. But "she prepared dinner" makes it completed action. "He began walking" is different than "he walked." I suppose it depends on what you're trying to accomplish in the action?

Great post; Thanks. I will post the link on my blog.

That's wonderful, Rosi! I appreciate the share.

Wonderful post and very informative! Thank you!

just and that

Yay, it posted. My WP was messed up, and I when I was catching up from being away, I couldn't post on any of the posts I missed.

So and very are my biggest problems. You'd think they would be easy to cut out, but they seem to multiply on the page when I'm writing!

And the cutting continues. The verb "to be" is so easy to use and I need to attempt to root that out. Your cut list is helpful! I tend to overuse certain bodily movements. Far too many eye and eyebrow actions. Critique partners really help. Great post, Kris!

Great post, Kris. My first drafts are fluffier than a bag of marshmallows.

Some, but not all, of this advice is valid. The expanded versions were certainly more interesting than the original examples. It frustrates me that so many people insist a form of the verb "to be" with a present participle of another verb must be replaced. This is the present progressive form of a verb. It has a meaning and a purpose. "He looked" and "he was looking" express different things. Sometimes one is preferable and sometimes the other. Oh no! I used "sometimes". And "some". Again, they have a use. By the way, criminal activity is never (!) a foot, unless it's a foot on someone's backside, propelling them off a bridge. It could be afoot, however. Rigid implementation of any "rule" is a sure way to make your writing stodgy, IMHO. Too terse is as bad as too verbose and may not communicate what you're trying to communicate.

[…] a previous Writers in the Storm blog post, we covered several common filler words to avoid.  This post extends the list of word-culprits, […]

[…] Character Flaws  –  How to Start a Novel  –  Synonyms for Very  –  Fix Fluff #1  –  Fix Fluff #2  –  Story Stall  –  Building Blocks of Scene –  […]

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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!

Speechling is a nonprofit app and website that combines human coaching with technology to improve your foreign language speaking.

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• 40 Useful Words and Phrases for Top-Notch Essays

To be truly brilliant, an essay needs to utilise the right language. You could make a great point, but if it’s not intelligently articulated, you almost needn’t have bothered.

Developing the language skills to build an argument and to write persuasively is crucial if you’re to write outstanding essays every time. In this article, we’re going to equip you with the words and phrases you need to write a top-notch essay, along with examples of how to utilise them.

It’s by no means an exhaustive list, and there will often be other ways of using the words and phrases we describe that we won’t have room to include, but there should be more than enough below to help you make an instant improvement to your essay-writing skills.

If you’re interested in developing your language and persuasive skills, Oxford Royale offers summer courses at its Oxford Summer School , Cambridge Summer School , London Summer School , San Francisco Summer School and Yale Summer School . You can study courses to learn english , prepare for careers in law , medicine , business , engineering and leadership.

General explaining

Let’s start by looking at language for general explanations of complex points.

1. In order to

Usage: “In order to” can be used to introduce an explanation for the purpose of an argument. Example: “In order to understand X, we need first to understand Y.”

2. In other words

Usage: Use “in other words” when you want to express something in a different way (more simply), to make it easier to understand, or to emphasise or expand on a point. Example: “Frogs are amphibians. In other words, they live on the land and in the water.”

3. To put it another way

Usage: This phrase is another way of saying “in other words”, and can be used in particularly complex points, when you feel that an alternative way of wording a problem may help the reader achieve a better understanding of its significance. Example: “Plants rely on photosynthesis. To put it another way, they will die without the sun.”

4. That is to say

Usage: “That is” and “that is to say” can be used to add further detail to your explanation, or to be more precise. Example: “Whales are mammals. That is to say, they must breathe air.”

5. To that end

Usage: Use “to that end” or “to this end” in a similar way to “in order to” or “so”. Example: “Zoologists have long sought to understand how animals communicate with each other. To that end, a new study has been launched that looks at elephant sounds and their possible meanings.”

Adding additional information to support a point

Students often make the mistake of using synonyms of “and” each time they want to add further information in support of a point they’re making, or to build an argument . Here are some cleverer ways of doing this.

6. Moreover

Usage: Employ “moreover” at the start of a sentence to add extra information in support of a point you’re making. Example: “Moreover, the results of a recent piece of research provide compelling evidence in support of…”

7. Furthermore

Usage:This is also generally used at the start of a sentence, to add extra information. Example: “Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that…”

8. What’s more

Usage: This is used in the same way as “moreover” and “furthermore”. Example: “What’s more, this isn’t the only evidence that supports this hypothesis.”

9. Likewise

Usage: Use “likewise” when you want to talk about something that agrees with what you’ve just mentioned. Example: “Scholar A believes X. Likewise, Scholar B argues compellingly in favour of this point of view.”

10. Similarly

Usage: Use “similarly” in the same way as “likewise”. Example: “Audiences at the time reacted with shock to Beethoven’s new work, because it was very different to what they were used to. Similarly, we have a tendency to react with surprise to the unfamiliar.”

11. Another key thing to remember

Usage: Use the phrase “another key point to remember” or “another key fact to remember” to introduce additional facts without using the word “also”. Example: “As a Romantic, Blake was a proponent of a closer relationship between humans and nature. Another key point to remember is that Blake was writing during the Industrial Revolution, which had a major impact on the world around him.”

12. As well as

Usage: Use “as well as” instead of “also” or “and”. Example: “Scholar A argued that this was due to X, as well as Y.”

13. Not only… but also

Usage: This wording is used to add an extra piece of information, often something that’s in some way more surprising or unexpected than the first piece of information. Example: “Not only did Edmund Hillary have the honour of being the first to reach the summit of Everest, but he was also appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.”

14. Coupled with

Usage: Used when considering two or more arguments at a time. Example: “Coupled with the literary evidence, the statistics paint a compelling view of…”

15. Firstly, secondly, thirdly…

Usage: This can be used to structure an argument, presenting facts clearly one after the other. Example: “There are many points in support of this view. Firstly, X. Secondly, Y. And thirdly, Z.

16. Not to mention/to say nothing of

Usage: “Not to mention” and “to say nothing of” can be used to add extra information with a bit of emphasis. Example: “The war caused unprecedented suffering to millions of people, not to mention its impact on the country’s economy.”

Words and phrases for demonstrating contrast

When you’re developing an argument, you will often need to present contrasting or opposing opinions or evidence – “it could show this, but it could also show this”, or “X says this, but Y disagrees”. This section covers words you can use instead of the “but” in these examples, to make your writing sound more intelligent and interesting.

17. However

Usage: Use “however” to introduce a point that disagrees with what you’ve just said. Example: “Scholar A thinks this. However, Scholar B reached a different conclusion.”

18. On the other hand

Usage: Usage of this phrase includes introducing a contrasting interpretation of the same piece of evidence, a different piece of evidence that suggests something else, or an opposing opinion. Example: “The historical evidence appears to suggest a clear-cut situation. On the other hand, the archaeological evidence presents a somewhat less straightforward picture of what happened that day.”

19. Having said that

Usage: Used in a similar manner to “on the other hand” or “but”. Example: “The historians are unanimous in telling us X, an agreement that suggests that this version of events must be an accurate account. Having said that, the archaeology tells a different story.”

20. By contrast/in comparison

Usage: Use “by contrast” or “in comparison” when you’re comparing and contrasting pieces of evidence. Example: “Scholar A’s opinion, then, is based on insufficient evidence. By contrast, Scholar B’s opinion seems more plausible.”

21. Then again

Usage: Use this to cast doubt on an assertion. Example: “Writer A asserts that this was the reason for what happened. Then again, it’s possible that he was being paid to say this.”

22. That said

Usage: This is used in the same way as “then again”. Example: “The evidence ostensibly appears to point to this conclusion. That said, much of the evidence is unreliable at best.”

Usage: Use this when you want to introduce a contrasting idea. Example: “Much of scholarship has focused on this evidence. Yet not everyone agrees that this is the most important aspect of the situation.”

Adding a proviso or acknowledging reservations

Sometimes, you may need to acknowledge a shortfalling in a piece of evidence, or add a proviso. Here are some ways of doing so.

24. Despite this

Usage: Use “despite this” or “in spite of this” when you want to outline a point that stands regardless of a shortfalling in the evidence. Example: “The sample size was small, but the results were important despite this.”

25. With this in mind

Usage: Use this when you want your reader to consider a point in the knowledge of something else. Example: “We’ve seen that the methods used in the 19th century study did not always live up to the rigorous standards expected in scientific research today, which makes it difficult to draw definite conclusions. With this in mind, let’s look at a more recent study to see how the results compare.”

26. Provided that

Usage: This means “on condition that”. You can also say “providing that” or just “providing” to mean the same thing. Example: “We may use this as evidence to support our argument, provided that we bear in mind the limitations of the methods used to obtain it.”

27. In view of/in light of

Usage: These phrases are used when something has shed light on something else. Example: “In light of the evidence from the 2013 study, we have a better understanding of…”

28. Nonetheless

Usage: This is similar to “despite this”. Example: “The study had its limitations, but it was nonetheless groundbreaking for its day.”

29. Nevertheless

Usage: This is the same as “nonetheless”. Example: “The study was flawed, but it was important nevertheless.”

30. Notwithstanding

Usage: This is another way of saying “nonetheless”. Example: “Notwithstanding the limitations of the methodology used, it was an important study in the development of how we view the workings of the human mind.”

Giving examples

Good essays always back up points with examples, but it’s going to get boring if you use the expression “for example” every time. Here are a couple of other ways of saying the same thing.

31. For instance

Example: “Some birds migrate to avoid harsher winter climates. Swallows, for instance, leave the UK in early winter and fly south…”

32. To give an illustration

Example: “To give an illustration of what I mean, let’s look at the case of…”

Signifying importance

When you want to demonstrate that a point is particularly important, there are several ways of highlighting it as such.

33. Significantly

Usage: Used to introduce a point that is loaded with meaning that might not be immediately apparent. Example: “Significantly, Tacitus omits to tell us the kind of gossip prevalent in Suetonius’ accounts of the same period.”

34. Notably

Usage: This can be used to mean “significantly” (as above), and it can also be used interchangeably with “in particular” (the example below demonstrates the first of these ways of using it). Example: “Actual figures are notably absent from Scholar A’s analysis.”

35. Importantly

Usage: Use “importantly” interchangeably with “significantly”. Example: “Importantly, Scholar A was being employed by X when he wrote this work, and was presumably therefore under pressure to portray the situation more favourably than he perhaps might otherwise have done.”

Summarising

You’ve almost made it to the end of the essay, but your work isn’t over yet. You need to end by wrapping up everything you’ve talked about, showing that you’ve considered the arguments on both sides and reached the most likely conclusion. Here are some words and phrases to help you.

36. In conclusion

Usage: Typically used to introduce the concluding paragraph or sentence of an essay, summarising what you’ve discussed in a broad overview. Example: “In conclusion, the evidence points almost exclusively to Argument A.”

37. Above all

Usage: Used to signify what you believe to be the most significant point, and the main takeaway from the essay. Example: “Above all, it seems pertinent to remember that…”

38. Persuasive

Usage: This is a useful word to use when summarising which argument you find most convincing. Example: “Scholar A’s point – that Constanze Mozart was motivated by financial gain – seems to me to be the most persuasive argument for her actions following Mozart’s death.”

39. Compelling

Usage: Use in the same way as “persuasive” above. Example: “The most compelling argument is presented by Scholar A.”

40. All things considered

Usage: This means “taking everything into account”. Example: “All things considered, it seems reasonable to assume that…”

How many of these words and phrases will you get into your next essay? And are any of your favourite essay terms missing from our list? Let us know in the comments below, or get in touch here to find out more about courses that can help you with your essays.

At Oxford Royale Academy, we offer a number of  summer school courses for young people who are keen to improve their essay writing skills. Click here to apply for one of our courses today, including law , business , medicine  and engineering .

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