Why do we use speech fillers?  

We most commonly use them at the beginning of a thought and in transition to a new one.  We are conditioned to answer questions promptly, so the utterance comes out before your brain has had time to think about what to say.

Research shows that English speakers will use the following common utterances; um, uh, er, ah, what linguistics experts say are ‘neutral vowel sounds (easy to make).’  Other common fillers in the English language include  ‘like’ and ‘you know’.

For more information, including how to avoid it, check back in the future as well as visit the following sites…

Tips on Public Speaking; Eliminating the Dreaded UM

Like, Uh, You Know: Why Do Americans Say ‘You Know’ And Use Other Verbal Fillers So Often?