Filler words serve important cognitive and social functions, but you can rein them in when it matters.

“Ask not what your country can, ah, do for you. Ask what, like, you can do for your country.” Filler words: They may be small, but as this reimagined quote from John F. Kennedy illustrates, little ...

(CNN) — As someone who’s originally from Southern California and now lives in the South, it’s not uncommon for me to get Valley girl comments. I have a habit of throwing in a quick “you know, like” or ...

Using too many filler words disrupts the flow of conversations and can damage your ability to deliver a persuasive presentation. While I’ve written about techniques to eliminate extraneous words, I’ve ...

Instead of texting, my friends and I send each other voice memos. They’re like a mini podcast to listen to on my way to class, but I usually cringe when I listen back to a few of my own and hear the ...

Phrases such as ‘you know’ and ‘I think’ can weaken your message. Are too many filler words detracting from your message when you give presentations or pitch investors or customers? Punctuating your ...

This story first appeared on The Muse, a Web destination with exciting job opportunities and expert career advice. “Hey, can I give you some quick feedback about that meeting?” my co-worker asked.

Speech writing is an art form that is more difficult than you might think. Often, we unknowingly use filler words, also known as crutch words, in our verbal language that don’t serve any real purpose.

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. As someone who’s originally from Southern California and now lives in the South, it’s not uncommon for me to get Valley girl ...