What are the most common British filler words used naturally
Погружение в разговорный английский: секреты сленга и коммуникации с носителями: What are the most common British filler words used naturally
The most common British English filler words used naturally include:
- Um, uh, er (basic hesitation sounds)
- Well (used to show thinking or to pause)
- Like (very common among younger speakers, used to fill pauses)
- You know / You see (to engage or explain)
- I mean (to clarify or emphasize)
- Actually, basically (to soften or summarize)
- So (to start or connect thoughts)
- Right (to get agreement or hold attention)
- Okay (to indicate acceptance or transition)
- Hmm (to show uncertainty or consideration)
- Innit (colloquial contraction of “isn’t it,” especially in informal speech)
- Yeah (informal agreement)
- Literally, seriously, totally (often used emphatically, but can be fillers)
These fillers are frequently used in everyday British conversations to fill pauses, soften statements, or keep the flow of speech natural and engaging. Some such as “innit,” “like,” and “basically” can be more specific to British informal speech and may sometimes annoy listeners if overused. The usage often varies by context, speaker’s age, and formality level. 2, 4, 5, 6, 7