A filler is a sound or a phrase that holds the floor while you choose the next word. Listeners forgive a few. They stop trusting the story when every sentence starts with one. Counting them once, on a real answer, is more honest than promising yourself you will “sound more confident.”
What this counter includes
Always counted: um, uh, uhh, umm, uhm, er, ah, you know, I mean, basically. Counted and marked as often a real word: like, so, well, right, actually, literally, kind of, sort of. The score gives the second group half weight. “I like the design” should not be punished like “um.” The list still shows it, because a stack of likes is usually filler even when each one could be defended.
The match is on words, not on pieces of words. “likely” is not “like.” “you know” is one hit, not a hit on you and a hit on know.
A count you can use
Under two weighted fillers a minute is a strong practice target. Zero is not required, and chasing zero by racing the sentence makes the next answer worse. Look at the first sentence on its own. If it contains um, uh, or you know, that is the rep to do again. Later fillers are easier to live with than an opening that sounds unfinished.
How to bring the number down
- Score the answer and read the filler list before you re-record.
- On the second take, start no sentence with so, well, or yeah.
- When you want to say um, pause instead. The pause counter will show that gap. A one-second pause is fine.
- Do not swap um for like. That is the same habit with a different spelling.
Type or paste a transcript if this browser cannot transcribe. The count uses the text in the box, so a pasted answer is scored the same way as a spoken one.
FAQ
Does “like” always count as a filler?
It is counted and marked as ambiguous. Comparisons and “I like” are real uses. A run of likes that could be deleted without changing the meaning are fillers. The score gives them half the weight of um.
Is “so” at the start of a sentence a problem?
Often, yes. “So we shipped on Friday” can lose the so. “So that the cache stayed warm” should stay. The list lets you tell them apart.
Can I paste a transcript instead of talking?
Yes. Put the words in the transcript box, set the seconds, and press Score answer. The filler count does not require the microphone.