Speaking: Fluency & Coherence B1 - Lesson 4: Using Fillers More Effectively (well, you know)

Speaking: Fluency & Coherence B1 - Lesson 4

Using Fillers More Effectively (well, you know)

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to use different filler phrases to make your speech sound more natural and fluent when you need a moment to think.

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From "Umm..." to Eloquent Pauses

Every speaker, including native speakers, needs time to think. Hesitation¹ is natural. The difference between a basic speaker and a fluent speaker is what they do during that thinking time. Instead of a long, silent pause or "ummm," fluent speakers use filler phrases² to hold their turn and sound more natural.

A Hesitant Answer:

"What is my favorite thing about Cambodia? Uhhh... the food... no... umm... the people."

A More Fluent Answer:

"What's my favorite thing about Cambodia? Well,³ that's a great question. Actually,⁵ while I love the food, I think my favorite thing is the people. You know,⁴ everyone is just so friendly here."

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Your Fluency Toolkit: Effective Fillers

1. Hesitation: A pause in speaking, often because you are thinking: ការស្ទាក់ស្ទើរ ↩
2. Filler Phrase: A word or phrase used to fill a pause while thinking: ពាក្យបំពេញចន្លោះ ↩
3. Well,...: The most common filler to start an answer or show you are thinking: អឺ... / គឺ... ↩
4. You know,...: Used to check for shared understanding or just to pause: អ្នកដឹងអត់... ↩
5. Actually,...: Used to introduce a surprising, more accurate, or contrasting fact: តាមពិតទៅ ↩
6. I mean...: Used to clarify or correct what you just said: ខ្ញុំចង់មានន័យថា...
7. Like...: (Informal) Used frequently as a pause filler, especially in casual North American English: ដូច...

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record_voice_over The Sound of Thinking

Filler phrases have a special "thinking intonation." You don't say them quickly. You draw out the sound to show you are considering your answer.

• "Well..." is often stretched out: "Weeeeell, I think it's a good idea."
• "You know? ↗" often has a slight rising intonation at the end, as if asking a small question.
• "I mean... ↘︎" often has a flat or slightly falling intonation before you provide the clarification.

lightbulb A Time and a Place for Fillers

Using fillers strategically makes you sound more fluent. But be careful!

Good Times to Use Fillers:

• At the beginning of an answer to a difficult question ("Well, that's a tough question...").
• When you need to correct yourself ("I'll meet you on Tuesday... I mean, Wednesday.").
• To soften an opinion ("I didn't love the movie. It was, you know, a little boring.").

A Word of Warning: Overusing fillers, especially "like" and "you know," can make you sound unconfident or unprofessional in formal situations like a job interview or a presentation. The goal is to replace "um" and "uh" with better fillers like "Well..." and "Actually...".

sports_esports Practice Using Fillers

Activity 1: Choose the Best Filler

Read the sentences and choose the best filler for the context.

1. I really like living in Battambang. ______, it can be a bit too quiet sometimes. (Well / Actually)
   (Answer: Actually - it introduces a contrast)
2. A: "What's your favorite movie?" B: "______... let me think. I guess I'd say The Avengers." (Well / I mean)
   (Answer: Well - it's a perfect opener for a thoughtful answer)
3. I don't eat meat, so I never order beef or pork. ______, I don't eat chicken either. (You know / I mean)
   (Answer: I mean - it clarifies and adds more detail to the first statement)

Activity 2: Thinking on Your Feet

Work with a partner. Ask your partner a difficult opinion question. The partner's goal is to answer without any "um" or "uh" sounds, and without long silent pauses. They MUST use at least two filler phrases from the toolkit.

Example Questions: What is the most beautiful place in Cambodia and why? If you could have any superpower, what would it be? What is the best way to learn English?

task Your Fluency Mission

This week in Battambang, your mission is to upgrade your pauses.

In your next English conversation, when you need a moment to think, consciously stop yourself from saying "uh" or "um". Instead, take a breath and use "Well..." or "Let me see...". This simple change will make you sound much more fluent and confident.