How to Stop Saying 'Um' and 'Uh' in Presentations

You just finished a presentation you felt good about. Then someone shows you the recording. You count 47 filler words in 8 minutes. “Um” before every new thought. “Like” sprinkled through every sentence. “Basically” as a verbal crutch whenever the idea gets complex.

Filler words are the most common speaking problem — and the hardest to fix because your brain literally filters them out while you're talking. You don't hear them. Your audience does.

Why we use filler words

Filler words aren't a sign of low intelligence. They're a sign that your brain is thinking faster than your mouth can keep up. The “um” is a placeholder — your brain saying “don't stop talking, I'm still loading the next thought.”

The problem is that audiences interpret fillers as uncertainty, lack of preparation, or nervousness. Research shows that speakers who use more filler words are rated as less credible and less competent — even when the content is identical.

1. Replace fillers with silence

The most powerful technique is also the simplest: pause instead of filling. A 2-second silence between thoughts sounds confident. An “um” sounds uncertain. The pause gives your audience time to absorb what you just said, and gives your brain time to prepare the next sentence.

Practice this: record yourself and every time you hear an “um”, note where it was. Then re-record the same section, deliberately pausing in those spots instead.

2. Use transition phrases

Fillers often appear at transitions between ideas. Instead of “So, um, the next thing is...”, use deliberate transition phrases: “This brings us to...”, “Building on that...”, “The key takeaway here is...”. Having these phrases pre-loaded means your brain doesn't need to improvise the connection.

3. Slow your pace

Most filler words appear when you're speaking too fast. Your mouth runs out of prepared content and your brain fills the gap with “um” while it catches up. Slowing down by even 10% gives your brain enough lead time to stay ahead of your mouth.

4. Know your first and last sentence

The most filler-heavy moments are the opening (nervousness) and transitions between sections (uncertainty about what comes next). Memorize your opening sentence and the first sentence of each section. If you know exactly how each section starts, you eliminate the most common filler triggers.

5. Record yourself — often

You cannot fix what you cannot hear. Record every practice session and count your fillers. Tools like PitchPilote do this automatically — counting every filler, quoting the exact moment, and suggesting a replacement phrase. The awareness alone reduces fillers by 30-40% in most speakers within 3 sessions.

6. Practice with increasing pressure

Fillers spike under pressure. Practice first alone, then with a recording, then with an audience (even an AI one). Each level of pressure reveals new filler habits. By the time you face the real audience, you've already navigated the pressure in practice.

7. Don't aim for zero

Occasional fillers are human and natural. The goal isn't robotic perfection — it's reducing fillers to the point where they don't distract from your message. Going from 47 fillers in 8 minutes to 8 fillers is a massive improvement. Going from 8 to 0 would make you sound rehearsed.

The bottom line

Filler words are a habit, and habits respond to awareness + practice. The fastest path is recording yourself, identifying your specific filler patterns, and practicing the replacements until they become automatic. Most speakers see significant improvement in just 3-5 practice sessions.