Words and sentences used to fill in the gaps between the information one is speaking about. They present no value to the speech and are there to fill the silence in the speech. They become a crutch for speakers to lean on that makes them feel like they are speaking well by presenting a continuous stream of conscious. “Ums” and “ers” are the epitome of filler words and is why speakers use them. Most people will not even realize they are doing them or at least the amount they are using them. The more one uses them the harder it is to break away from using them. It becomes a bad habit and the more one uses them, the less effective the speech. The first step is to recognize that you are using them. The outdated method is to have someone point them out to you and count. This method is detrimental to the overall speech because it distracts the message to the filler word and takes considerable time to overcome and no assurance they won’t return. Today there are techniques that will remove them seamlessly and allow you to focus on the important parts of your speech.
