Listening Time: English Practice English Filler Words
Apr 3, 2026
A lively breakdown of why speakers use filler words and how they fill silence while thinking. Discussion of confidence and habit as causes for frequent fillers. Highlights common fillers like like, so, right, you know, just, kind of, I mean, and uh/um. Practical focus on noticing and reducing excessive filler use.
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Filler Words Keep The Conversational Floor
- Filler words fill silence while speakers think and signal they are not finished speaking.
- Connor explains listeners often interpret silence as turn-taking, so fillers keep conversational floor and avoid interruptions.
Confidence And Habit Drive Filler Usage
- People use fillers when they're not confident or their ideas are disconnected, causing interrupted sentences and restarts.
- Connor notes habit also drives usage: some speakers repeat fillers regardless of comfort or knowledge.
Notice Common Fillers Like And So
- Recognize common filler words like like and so so you can notice and reduce them in your speech.
- Connor gives examples: 'I don't want him to feel like forgotten' and 'so' used to avoid silence while thinking.