Why Its Okay To Use Um and Like When You TalkReally

Why Its Okay To Use Um and Like When You TalkReallyYes, you should never use filler words like um and like in your writing. But sometimes, in conversation, you might find you need to buy yourself a bit of time to gather your thoughts and figure out what it is youre trying to say. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) Its true that most job interview advice blogs will tell you to avoid using them at all costs, because theycan make you sound unintelligent or unprepared. But filler words are a natural part of the way people speak these days, so if you can utilize them economically and well in your conversation, you just might be able to get the best of both worlds. Youll have the time to formulate your sentences and keep your speech clean and less muddled, but you wont get carried away with your constant umming and like-ing.Filler words are used for the following reasons.They Show That Youre ThinkingIf you need another few seconds to formulate yo ur sentence, you can throw in an errr or a basically and then continue on from there. It helps you not be interrupted. And helps you say precisely what youd like to say once you say it.TheySoften What Youre Going to SayIf youre going to say something a little harsh, temper it with a few conversational filler words to keep it casual. Just to make sure your friend or colleague doesnt think youre being cold or cruel. i.e. You have a little, like, something in your teeth?They Can Strengthen orWeaken What Youre SayingFiller words can change the tone of a sentence, either to qualify your statement and make it weaker, or to add extra emphasis and authority. Depending on the word, you can make what youre saying sound like a stab in the dark, or a definitive conclusion.They Help You StallYou grabbed the mic its your turn to talk and you have something super important to say. The stakes are high. Trouble is, you havent quite figured out what that is yet. A few ummms and weeeellls. might just give you the time you need to strategize.They Make Your Listener Feel IncludedThrowing in a little you know? at the end of what youre saying doesnt have to make you sound like a Valley girl. It could just be a friendly way of making sure whomever youre talking to is still with you and feels included.So you see, filler words, when used in moderation, can actually be a conversational asset. Just dont get too carried away and you can feel free to use these natural bits of speech as you see fit.