Yoodli Tip: Be deliberate about weak words

What are weak words and why do they matter?

Weak words are words such as “really”, “basically”, “kind of”, “stuff” that are often used as filler words. Unlike typical filler words (“um”, “uh”), weak words can be powerful when used for emphasis. However, we often use them as a replacement for filler words, thereby reducing the impact they might have.

A few weak words here and there are considered usual part of everyday conversations. However, overusing weak words can show a lack of confidence.

What weak words does Yoodli look out for?

• totally
• basically
• very
• really
• kind of
• kinda
• actually
• seriously
• supposedly
• clearly
• literally
• i mean
• at the end of the day
• believe me
• i guess
• i suppose
• or something
• like i said
• tell me something
• exactly
• something like that
• needless to say
• for what it’s worth
• in my humble opinion
• sort of
• absolutely
• as a matter of fact
• you see
• what i’m trying to say is
• hopefully
• probably
• possibly
• quite
• fairly
• relatively
• reasonably
• personally
• honestly
• i think that
• stuff like that
• in my opinion
• be that as it may
• to be honest
• generally

What’s considered good weak word usage?

Anything under 4% weak words percent is considered normal. You don’t want to be consistently be at 0% because that could sound robotic.

How can I reduce my weak words?

The best way to reduce weak words is to follow this plan:

1. Identify your weak words: Use Yoodli on 5-7 calls to see which weak word you tend to overuse and when you use it most. Getting quantifiable data is the first step in improving
2. Be deliberate: Once you’ve identified your weak word, be conscious about using it only when you truly mean to. In other cases, try pausing instead. The pause can seem uncomfortable at first but it’s the best way of being intentional with word choice.
3. Track your progress: Improving your speaking is like building a muscle – you need to stay in practice. Use Yoodli to track your progress and ensure you’re under the 4% weak word goal!

More details about weak words