Useless filler words that erode clarity and influence
13 February 2025
On average, you can rid your bid response of 17% of words by removing filler words. This will either be a lifeline to replace mindless culling when working to a word count or open space to add something valuable to reach those higher scores!
Surplus words
I started thinking about the word ‘do’ and how often I see it, mostly on LinkedIn posts or at the end of an email:
‘Please do feel free to contact me if you want to find out more.’
‘Do reach out and get in touch if you’d like to attend.’
It gives me the ick when I see or hear it. Why do we add this word when it doesn’t need to be there? It offers no clarify and no value to the statement/question.
‘Contact me to find out more.’
‘Contact me if you’d like to attend.’
Better. To the point. Clear. Confident.
This got me thinking about my other bugbears:
Tautologies
Words paired with another that mean a variation of the same:
- Past history
- Future plans
- Free gift
- True facts
- End result
- Final outcome
- Unexpected surprise
You get the idea, You only need one of each.
Filler words
Words that do not add clarity or value to your statement. I see these the most. In a job where I reshape content as often as I produce it, it is unavoidable. It’s a writing style that we are all guilty of in some capacity. Some more than others.
- There is a spider hiding behind my wardrobe.
- That is actually a very interesting point.
- Please do feel free to contact me if you have any questions with regards to this.
- In order to fully understand the scope of work, we might consider initiating a project meeting.
Look at these again
- There is a A spider is hiding behind my wardrobe.
- That is actually a very interesting point.
- Please do feel free to contact me if you have any questions with regards to this.
- In order To fully understand the scope of work, we might consider can initiateing a project meeting.
How they erode your credibility
In a corporate world full of attention deficits, word counts, and page limits, these credibility killers weaken our message, reduce clarity, and undermine impact.
According to Nicholas Christenfeld, a former professor of Psychology at the University of California, we perceive excessive filler words as uncomfortable, inarticulate, and lacking confidence.
Bye-bye diluted sentences…hello clarity
Try these:
| Filler | Alternative |
| All of the | All |
| As to whether | Whether |
| Due to the fact that | Because |
| For the purpose of | To |
| Has the ability to | Can |
| We believe | Delete |
| In terms of | About |
| In the event of | If |
| With regards to | About |
| In order to | To |
| It is important to note that/We note that | Delete |
| Forward planning | Planning |
| Please do consider | Consider |
| Add an additional | Add |
| Alternative option | Alternative |
| Ask the question | Ask |
| Close proximity | Proximity |
| During the course of | During |
| Evolve over time | Evolve |
| Knowledgeable expert | Expert |
| Revert back | Revert |