Speaking: Fluency & Coherence A2 - Lesson 4
Reducing Hesitation on Familiar Topics
By the end of this lesson, you will learn strategies to reduce long, silent pauses and speak more fluently about familiar topics like your family, hobbies, and daily life.
The Big Idea: Sounding More Fluent
Hesitation1—the act of pausing while you think of words—is normal. Even native speakers hesitate! The secret to fluency is not to stop hesitating, but to hesitate in a more natural way using special filler phrases3.
Let's look at the difference when talking about a familiar topic2 like family.
Hesitant Speaking (long, silent pauses):
"My family... is... small. I have... uh... one brother. He is... um... a student."
More Fluent Speaking (using filler phrases):
"Well,4 my family is quite small. I have one brother. Let me see...5 he's a student at the university."
Using a filler phrase gives you time to think but keeps the conversation moving smoothly.
Your Fluency Toolkit (Filler Phrases)
- Hesitation (Noun) | ការស្ទាក់ស្ទើរ | A pause in speaking, often because you are thinking. ↩
- Familiar Topic (Noun) | ប្រធានបទដែលធ្លាប់ស្គាល់ | A subject you know well, like your family, hobbies, or job. ↩
- Filler Phrase (Noun) | ពាក្យបំពេញចន្លោះ | A word or phrase you use to fill a pause while you are thinking. ↩
- Well, ... (Filler) | អឺ... | A very common word to start a sentence or to use while you think. ↩
- Let me see... (Filler) | ចាំខ្ញុំមើលសិន | A phrase that means "I need a moment to think or remember." ↩
- You know... (Filler) | អ្នកដឹងអត់... | A phrase used to make a connection with the listener or to pause. ↩
- Actually... (Filler) | តាមពិតទៅ | Used to add a surprising or more correct piece of information. ↩
The Intonation of Fillers
Filler phrases have a special "thinking" intonation. You usually draw out the sound a little and your voice stays flat or goes up slightly at the end, to show you haven't finished your thought.
- "Well..." -> The 'e' sound is often made longer. "Weeeell, I think it's a good idea."
- "Let me see... ↗" -> Your voice might go up at the end, as if asking a question to yourself. "My favorite movie is... let me see... an action movie."
Strategies to Reduce Hesitation
Here are three strategies to help you speak more smoothly on topics you know well.
1. Use Filler Phrases: Instead of a silent pause or saying "uhh" or "umm," use a filler phrase like "Well,4" "Let me see...5" or "You know...6". It sounds much more natural.
2. Prepare for Familiar Topics: You know people will ask you about your family, your job, or your hobbies. Think about these topics! Practice the key vocabulary and sentences in your head. When someone asks, you will be ready.
3. Use Simple Words: Don't try to find the perfect, most intelligent word. If you can't think of the word "delicious," just say "very good." The goal is communication, not perfection.
Practice "Keeping Talking"
Activity 1: Fill the Pause
Read the sentences below. Fill the thinking pause with a filler phrase from the toolkit.
- My favorite subject in school is... [pause] ... English. (e.g., ...let me see... English.)
- I want to travel to... [pause] ... Japan. (e.g., ...you know... Japan.)
- Actually...7 [pause] ... I think I prefer tea to coffee. (e.g., Actually... well... I think...)
Activity 2: 30-Second Talk
Work with a partner. Your partner gives you a familiar topic (e.g., "Your family," "Your favorite food," "Weekends"). Your mission is to talk about that topic for 30 seconds without any long, silent pauses. Use filler phrases if you need time to think. Then, switch roles.
Your Fluency Mission
This week in Siem Reap, your mission is to use a filler phrase in a real conversation.
The next time you are speaking English and you need a moment to think, don't just pause. Say "Well..." or "Let me see..." first, and then continue your sentence. It will make you sound more confident and fluent.