Intervention: Silent beat instead of “um” (Part 1)
5–10 min
Read
11 of 20
What to do⏱ 5–10 min
Objective
Replace fillers with a short silent pause.
Steps
- Read the explanation and the weak vs improved example.
- Complete the short task in your own words (3–5 sentences unless stated).
Pause, don’t fill
⏱ ~5 min · Speaking
Research-style tip: A short silent pause sounds more natural than ten fillers.
Weak: “Um, I think, uh, maybe, my hobby is, like, reading, you know…”
Improved: “… (pause) My main hobby is reading — mostly novels in the evening.”
Reflection
- Answer aloud (20–25 seconds): “Do you prefer mornings or evenings?” Use <strong>no</strong> “um/uh/like/you know”. If you need thinking time, use one silent pause.
Self-check
- You addressed only this one problem.
- You produced a new example, not copied text.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Filler words to sound longer.
- Apologising for pausing (“Sorry my English is bad”).