5 Words to Avoid Saying During a Speech or Tutorial
Have you ever heard someone speak and it felt like they were only talking to you? It’s kind of like they were stalking you and configured their entire talk to make that point just for you. The crazy thing is the guy next to you felt the same way for different reasons!
Now is it true that perfect practice makes perfect and these people have been working actively on their skills for years? More than likely, yes. However, you have to start somewhere, so start here with this list of 5 phrases that you should NOT say during your speech.
In the title, I included that this works for tutorials too. These little words just break up your sentences and make your speech choppy. If you can avoid saying these words during your speech, it will be much smoother.
I should tell you though, that these words that I have come up with are just the ones I have noticed in my own speech habits when I’m making video tutorials. I would suggest paying attention to what you say during your speech or tutorial to find out what little habits you have that are preventing your speech from being great.
1 – “Um….”
This one is obvious. I mostly say this because my videos aren’t scripted and I’m trying to think of what to say next (I don’t script my videos because if I did they would sound robotic).
2 – “Uh…”
I know what you’re thinking – this one is pretty much the same thing as the first one. True, but they’re also very different. “Uh” often comes after words like “and” and “I” as well as in the pauses. Additionally, I wanted to make sure you weren’t cutting out “um” and replacing it with “uh”!
3 – “And yeah. So -“
Although this is technically a phrase and not a single word, I still included it. I often say this to transition into something else.
4 – “Okay! So -“
Another transition phrase! It’s super boring and non-descriptive, so focus on using different, more interesting transition phrases.
5 – “So yeah…”
Where I live, this phrase basically translates to “well, I’m done talking to you now, so unless you have anything great to say, let’s be done.” When you say it in a tutorial or speech, it translates to “I am done talking about this topic and I couldn’t think of a creative way to convey that to you, so…moving on!” Don’t be that person.
How to Avoid these Choppy Phrases:
Tip 1 – Write them on a piece of paper and look at them while you are practicing your speech. The written words serve as a visual reminder not to say them. Basically, purposely focus on not saying them. I’m assuming these phrases have become a habit to you, so it’s going to take work to stop saying them.
Tip 2 – Come up with more creative transition phrases. Examples of these phrases would be “next…,” or “once that’s finished…” Force yourself to use creative words instead of filler phrases, and you will see how much smoother your speech sounds!
In the end, you have to identify what your speech weaknesses are. I used mine as an example (I use words that make my presentations sound choppy). If you’re still confused, check out the video I made below. Once you figure out what you need to work on, create a plan to fix them!
Lastly, don’t repeat yourself over and over. This is a big one for me. It’s not a phrase or a word that you should avoid, but it’s still something to watch out for when doing tutorials or giving presentations! Honestly, this is my biggest challenge. The best way to avoid repeating yourself is to just be content that the listeners got your tip on the first go-around. For example, state your point, give one analogy to prove your point, then be done. I will explain it more in the video, so watch it to get more tips!
Happy speaking!
BONUS – Notice that in the first example when I’m using the filler words, I seem much less confident. And in addition to being more confident, I was much more authoritative during the second example. This is not a coincidence.
Until next time,
Hope Frances
Photo by Kane Reinholdtsen on Unsplash
