Real conversation is full of small words that carry no literal meaning. Well, so, you know, I mean, right, exactly — they don't describe anything, but they keep the talk moving. Linguists call them discourse markers (also known as fillers or hesitation words).
They do two main jobs: buy the speaker a moment to think, and show the listener is paying attention.
Two functions
| FUNCTION | WHAT IT DOES | TYPICAL WORDS |
|---|---|---|
| Filler | Gives the speaker time to think | um, uh, er, hmm, well, so, like, you know, I mean |
| Response token | Signals listening or reaction | right, okay, sure, exactly, really, no way |
Fillers come from the speaker; response tokens come from the listener. The same word can sometimes play either role depending on where it sits in the exchange.
Fillers and hesitation sounds
Um, uh, er, hmm are the plainest fillers — pure sounds that mean "I'm thinking, don't interrupt." They slow the pace without adding content.
These are universal in speech and go almost unnoticed by listeners. They become a problem only when they outnumber the actual words.
Common discourse markers
Each of these words has a normal dictionary meaning, but in conversation it also does structural work.
Well
Softens a reply, signals hesitation, or marks a change of direction. Often appears at the start of an answer the speaker isn't sure of.
So
Opens a topic, returns to one, or leads into a summary.
You know
Checks that the listener is following, or softens something awkward. Often comes at the end of a thought.
I mean
Introduces a clarification or a correction to what was just said.
Like
A hedge or approximation in informal speech. Can mark an estimate or introduce reported speech.
Actually
Introduces a correction, an unexpected fact, or a gentle contradiction.
Anyway
Returns the conversation to the main topic after a digression, or closes one topic before moving on.
Right
Marks agreement, checks the listener, or opens a new phase of a conversation.
Response tokens
Response tokens are short words the listener drops in to show attention or reaction. They don't take the turn away from the speaker — they just confirm that someone is on the other end.
Exactly, absolutely — strong agreement.
Fair enough — accepts someone's point, often while still disagreeing underneath.
No way — disbelief or strong rejection.
Sure, okay — neutral acceptance, agreement without emphasis.
Really — surprise, or an invitation for the speaker to continue.
A well-timed response token shows the speaker they can keep going. A conversation without any of them feels cold — as if the listener has disconnected.
Register and overuse
Discourse markers belong to spoken, informal English. In formal writing — essays, reports, business emails — they look out of place. Written prose uses its own set of connectors like however, therefore, in addition, which have their own rules and their own lesson.
Two failure modes are worth watching for:
- Too many fillers (um, like, you know) make a speaker sound unsure or unprepared.
- Too many response tokens (exactly, absolutely, right, totally) make the listener sound falsely enthusiastic or patronizing.
In moderation, these words are natural and expected. Every competent English speaker uses them. The goal is not to remove them, but to keep them from crowding out the real content.
Common mistakes
Using spoken fillers in formal writing
Overusing "like"
Overusing response tokens
Treating fillers as words with literal meaning
Mistranslating from other languages
- Well used as a direct translation of bueno, eh bien, na ja, nu often lands too often in English speech. One well per turn is plenty.
- Starting every sentence with so (a habit from other languages) sounds mechanical in English. Reserve it for genuine topic shifts or summaries.