Download “Discourse markers fillers list” here
Common English Filler Words
Source: https://www.fluentu.com/blog/english/english-filler-words/
1. Well, Hmm
“Well” or “Hmm” are used when you are thinking,
“Well, I guess $2000 is a good price for motorbike.”
“Hmm, should I have the chicken or the beef?”
… or you can use it to put a pause in a sentence,
“The meal was, well, pretty expensive.”
… or to stall.
“Well… fine, you can borrow my car.”
2. Um/er/uh
“Um,” “er” and “uh” are just fillers, and are used for hesitation, such as when you are still thinking what word to say next.
“Um, er, I uh thought the project was due tomorrow, not today.”
3. Like
“Like” is also often used as a filler, when you are thinking of the next word:
“I was … like … confused. She was so … like … angry.”
4. Actually/Basically/Seriously
“Actually,” “basically” and “seriously” are discourse markers that are partly fillers (you can leave them out without changing the propositional meaning), but they also tell the listener or reader something about the speaker’s attitude to the topic.
For example, the word “actually” is used to point out something you think is true, when others might not agree:
“Actually, pugs are really cute!”
“Basically” and “seriously” change the sentence in slightly different ways too. “Basically” is used when you’re summarizing something, and “seriously” is used to show how strongly you take the statement.
“Basically, the last Batman movie was seriously exciting!”
Other adverbs that are often used as fillers are “totally,” “literally” and “clearly.”
- The word “literally” means “something that is true,” but many times in conversation it’s used with a different meaning: to state strong feelings. For example, you’re not just laughing you’re literally dying from laughter.
- “Totally” means “completely,” and is used to emphasize (show that you feel strongly) about something.
- The word “clearly” means the same as obviously, and is used to state something that is very obviously true.
These three words don’t have to be used together either, but here they are in one sentence:
“Clearly you totally didn’t see me, even though I was literally in front of your face.”
6. You see
“You see” is used to share a fact that you assume the listener doesn’t know.
“I was going to try the app, but you see, I ran out of space on my phone.”
7. You know
“You know” is used to share something that you assume the listener already knows.
“We stayed at that hotel, you know, the one down the street from Times Square.”
It can also be used instead of an explanation, in cases where we feel the listener just understands what you mean.
“When the elevator went down, I got that weird feeling in my ears, you know?”
8. I mean
“I mean” is used to clarify or emphasize how you feel about something.
“I mean, he’s a great guy, I’m just not sure if he’s a good doctor.”
It’s also used to make corrections when you misspeak.
“The duck and the tiger were awesome but scary. I mean, the tiger was scary, not the duck.”
“The cave is two thousand—I mean—twenty thousand years old!”
9. You know what I mean?
“You know what I mean?” is used to make sure the listener is following what you’re saying.
“I really like that girl, you know what I mean?”
10. At the end of the day
“At the end of the day” is a phrase that means “in the end” or “in conclusion.”
“At the end of the day, we’re all just humans, and we all make mistakes.”
11. Believe me
“Believe me” is a way of asking your listener to trust what you’re saying.
“Believe me, I didn’t want this tiny house, but it was the only one I could afford.”
It’s also used to emphasize what you’re about to say.
“Believe me, this is the cheapest, tiniest house ever!”
12. I guess/I suppose
“I guess” and “I suppose” are used to show that you’re hesitant, or not really sure about what you’re saying.
“I was going to eat dinner at home, but I guess I can go eat at a restaurant instead.”
“I guess” is used more often in speech, but “I suppose” can sound classier (a bit smarter).
13. Or something
“Or something” is a sentence ending that means you’re not being exact.
“The cake uses two sticks of butter and ten eggs, or something like that.”
14. Okay/so
“Okay” and “so” are usually used to start sentences, and can be a sign that a new topic is starting.
“So what are you doing next weekend?”
They can also be used to introduce a summary.
“Okay, so we’re going to need to buy supplies for our trip this weekend.”
15. Right/mhm/uh huh
“Right,” “mhm” and “uh huh” are all affirmative responses—they all mean a “yes” response.
“Right, so let’s prepare a list of all the things we’ll need.”
“Uh huh, that’s exactly what he told me too.”