Everyone uses filler words. When you say "um" or "uh", your brain is buying time to find the next thought — these pauses, known as disfluencies, are a natural part of speech. But when they appear too frequently, they undermine your credibility and distract your listener from what you're actually saying.
The good news: excessive filler words are a habit, and habits can be changed. Here are five proven techniques — and examples from some of the world's most effective speakers.
5 Proven Ways to Reduce Filler Words
1. Practice
Record yourself speaking — in conversation, in practice responses, or while presenting. Listen back and note which filler words you use most, and in what situations they appear. Then practise those same scenarios consciously, replacing the fillers with a deliberate pause.
Awareness is the first step. You can't fix what you haven't noticed.
2. Slow Down
Many people use filler words because they feel pressure to keep talking and avoid any silence. But speaking too quickly actually increases disfluencies — your mouth gets ahead of your brain.
Slow your pace deliberately. Take a breath. Give yourself time to think before you speak. A brief, intentional pause sounds far more confident than a rushed "um."
3. Pause
This one feels uncomfortable at first, but it's one of the most powerful public speaking techniques there is.
Instead of filling silence with "uh" or "er", simply stop. Pause. Let the silence exist for a moment while you gather your thought. Audiences perceive deliberate pauses as a sign of confidence and thoughtfulness — not uncertainty.
4. Use Gestures and Body Language
Physical movement can help occupy the part of your attention that would otherwise reach for a filler word. When you need to gather your thoughts, a gesture, a nod, or simply shifting your posture can fill the beat naturally — and keep your audience's attention engaged without a verbal crutch.
5. Get Feedback
It can be difficult to hear your own filler words in real time. Ask a trusted colleague, friend, or mentor to give you specific feedback on when and how often they notice them. Or use an AI-powered speaking tool that can identify and quantify your disfluencies objectively.
Learn from the Best
Many of the world's most admired speakers have mastered the art of filler-free communication. Here's what each of them does:
Barack Obama
Obama is known for his smooth, measured delivery. His most effective technique: pause before speaking. He takes a breath, lets silence settle, and then begins — giving every sentence weight and authority. He also uses deliberate repetition to emphasise key ideas.
Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen uses humour and storytelling to bridge moments when she needs to gather her thoughts. A well-timed smile or laugh serves the same purpose as a filler word — without the distraction. It keeps the audience engaged and buys her a natural beat to think.
Brené Brown
Brown is a researcher famous for her clarity and directness. Her technique is extensive preparation. By rehearsing thoroughly, she enters every speaking situation with confidence — leaving little room for the anxiety that generates filler words.
Steve Jobs
Jobs famously rehearsed his keynotes dozens of times before delivery. His storytelling structure — clear narrative arc, simple language, visual support — meant he always knew exactly what came next. Preparation eliminated the need for verbal filler.
Martin Luther King Jr.
King used repetition and imagery to carry his audiences. Phrases like "I have a dream" didn't just serve rhetorical purposes — they gave him natural rhythmic pauses and kept listeners anchored in his message. He spoke with passion and conviction, which leaves no room for hesitation.
Conclusion
Reducing filler words is one of the highest-impact improvements you can make to your speaking — for everyday conversation, for job interviews, and especially for English proficiency exams like IELTS and TOEFL, where fluency is directly assessed.
The techniques are simple: slow down, pause intentionally, practise with awareness, use gestures, and seek feedback. Apply them consistently and the results will follow.
Gabble's AI speaking tool identifies your filler word frequency and gives you a judgment-free environment to practise reducing them — alongside full IELTS and TOEFL speaking evaluation with real-time scores and feedback. Start Speaking Practice →