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If you can’t stop saying the word “like,” you’re not alone. Unfortunately, overusing that word can cause your friends and coworkers to make unfair assumptions about your education or intelligence levels. Thankfully, there are some solid ways you can stop saying the word “like” to sound smarter and keep your audience engaged for longer. Read through these tricks to change the way you speak for the better.
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Pair the word with an action so you can catch it faster. If you’re talking and you say “like,” quickly tap yourself on the thigh or pinch yourself on the wrist. The more you notice it, the more you can break the habit.[1]
- Keep the movement small so that it doesn’t distract you from what you’re saying.
- You can also pull on a hair tie around your wrist or flick yourself in the leg.
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Try to count the number of times you say “like” in 1 minute. Then, record yourself again, and try super hard not to say the word “like” at all. Try doing this a couple of times per day until you get into the habit of checking yourself on your own.[2]
- You can also download an app like LikeSo to automatically count the number of times you say “like” for you.
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Think about what you say before you say it. If you’re talking quickly or you’re in a fast-paced conversation, you might be thinking about what to say next instead of what’s coming out of your mouth. Try to really slow down and contemplate every sentence before you say it to avoid saying “like.”[3]
- If you hear yourself say the word “like,” that’s okay! Just make a note of it and try not to say it again in the same conversation.
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Do this instead of saying “like” in between phrases. When you say a sentence and you come to a moment when you’d normally say “like,” just stop. Take a deep breath and let the silence fill the space in your sentence.[4]
- This can also help you avoid other filler words like “um” or “ah.”
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You can use “roughly,” “approximately,” and “around.” These words are helpful in sentences where you’re trying to convey an approximate amount, like money spent or time wasted. Make your sentences sound more specific by saying things:[5]
- “We spent around $500 at the mall today.”
- “I wasted roughly 30 minutes driving back and forth.”
- “We’ve used approximately 60% of our inventory.”
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You could also use “yelled,” “whispered,” or “shouted.” Saying “like” before a quote is a super common way this word gets misused, and it’s probably where you’ll hear yourself using it the most. Instead, try getting super specific with your descriptor.[6]
- Instead of saying, “I was like, ‘no way!’” say, “I thought to myself, ‘no way!’”
- Instead of saying, “He was like, ‘I’m not interested.’” say, “He said, ‘I’m not interested.’”
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You don’t need the word “like” to emphasize your point. By omitting the word “like,” you can actually strengthen your sentences and speech. Stick to words like “very” or “incredibly” to make your sentence stronger.[7]
- For example, instead of saying, “He was, like, so angry,” say, “He was very angry.”
- Instead of saying, «The sky was, like, so blue,» say, «The sky was a deep blue color.»
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The more words you know, the easier time you’ll have. Try reading new books, playing word games like Scrabble, or keeping a thesaurus handy to look up synonyms. If you can think of something else to say besides “like,” you’re already halfway there! You could try phrases such as “for example,” “nearly,” or “about.”[8]
- You can also download apps like Word of the Day to get new words sent directly to you.
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Use it when you’re expressing enjoyment or comparing 2 things. You could say “I really like chocolate” or “He acts like his father.” If you keep the definition in mind, you can tell when you’re using “like” the right way and when you’re using it as a filler word.[9]
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“Um,” “ah,” and “er” can also get repetitive. As you cut down on your use of the word “like,” be careful you’re not replacing it with something else! When in doubt, just don’t say anything.[10]
- You might also find yourself saying “you know,” “well,” and “okay.”
Add New Question
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Question
My friend is almost addicted to saying «like.» He will say it in every sentence. How can I tell him and help him without sounding rude?
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
You could pretend that you’re working on cutting down the number of times you say «like» yourself. Have him record you and count how many times you say it in 1 minute. Then, ask him if he wants to try, and record him next. You can gently point out how many times he’s saying it without being mean or talking down to him.
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Question
What other words can I use for like? I have to many «likes» in my paragraph.
You can use «similar to» in the sense of «The noodles were like rubber.» When using the word «like» to express approval, as in «I like pie,» you can say «I enjoy pie» or «I love pie» or «Pie is awesome.» If you’re using the word «like» as a filler word, the way this article is talking about, just remove it entirely.
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Question
What form of speech is «like» considered?
As a term of enjoyment, like is used as a verb, or an action word. When saying it as a term of similarity of comparison, it is a preposition.
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Like smaller companies, the larger companies, continue to be impacted
by the advancements in technology.
Can anyone help me understand what function the word «Like» has in the sentence? Is it a preposition or an adjective or something else?
dwilli
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asked Mar 17, 2019 at 17:59
1
It is functioning as a preposition. It forms a prepositional phrase «Like smaller companies», meaning «Similar to».
The subject of the sentence is «the larger companies», and you probably shouldn’t separate the subject from the verb «continue» with a comma.
This is better than considering «like» to be an adjective. For example it doesn’t past the «movement test»: «Like smaller companies» is ok, but «smaller companies that are like» is not correct.
answered Mar 17, 2019 at 18:16
James KJames K
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Complete these sentences. Use like/likes/would like.
1. I ______ to speak Italian.
2. She _______ dancing.
3. I _________ other countries.
4. He ________ to read fantasy tales.
5. They ______ playing basketball.
6. She ________ taking photographs.
7. We _________ to go to Australia.
Key: 1. would like; 2. likes; 3. like; 4. would like; 5. like; 6. likes; 7. would like
Complete the text using the correct pronoun.
(1)____ am ten. (2)_____ live in London. (3)____ is in England. My friend lives in Edinburgh. (4)____ is in Scotland. (5)____ have got a pet. (6)____ is a dog. My Mum and Dad like walking. (7)___ like playing tennis.
Key: 1. I; 2. I; 3. It; 4. It; 5. I; 6. It; 7. They/I/We
Match the sentence beginnings in list A with the correct endings in list B.
A.
1. The Tate Gallery…
2. The Backs at the river Cam…
3. The classic palace of Henry VIII and The Maze…
4. Hampton Court…
5. The Maze…
B.
a. …are in Cambridge.
b. …is in London. It has got a lot of amazing pictures.
c. …is in the south-west of London.
d. …is in Hampton Court.
e. …is an amazing place for games.
1___ 2___ 3___ 4___ 5___
Key:
1 2 3 4 5
b a d c e
(the Backs сады, расположенные за зданиями Кембриджского университета на берегу р. Кем)
Use the word given in capitals at the end of each line to form a word that fits the space in the same line.
You may not think that
a tattoo would improve
your (1)________, APPEAR
but it’s certainly (2)______, FASHION
and for many people that’s
the same thing. A little red
rose on your shoulder can
seem like a good idea at
the time,
But how do you get rid
of it later? (3)________ BAD
still, there’s a very real
(4)__________ of getting DANGEROUS
a serious disease such as
HIV or hepatitis from dirty
needles if you go to an
(5)________ tattoo artist. QUALIFY
Key: 1. appearance; 2. fashionable; 3. Worse; 4. danger; 5. unqualified
Rewrite each sentence using the words in bold. Do not change the meaning.
0. It wasn’t necessary for me to stay after classes yesterday. have
I didn’t have to stay after classes yesterday.
1. I’m sure she isn’t right. can’t
________________________________
2. Perhaps I’ll phone you tomorrow. may
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3. Kate managed to solve that problem. able
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4. It was necessary for Jane to go to hospital. had
________________________________
5. It is possible that Kate will arrive tonight. might
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1. She can’t be right.
2. I may phone you tomorrow.
3. Kate was able to solve the problem.
4. Jane had to go to hospital.
5. Kate might arrive tonight.
By Youdif Boyarskaya,
School No. 814, Moscow
to be continued
For a few years during elementary school, virtually every sentence my friends and I uttered included the word “like.” This awful speech habit led to plenty of well-deserved ridicule, which made me determined to stop overusing unnecessary words. I thought I was succeeding on this front for years, until I started doing freelance writing assignments for a client who wasn’t a fan of superfluous words, including “that.” Then, I learned just how guilty I was of overusing the word “that” in my writing. It was basically my new, written version of “like.”
While phasing out “like” was pretty simple, removing unnecessary uses of “that” from my writing proved challenging because this word legitimately belongs in many sentences. To help you avoid similar grief, today I’d like to share a few tips for avoiding overusing “that” and using “that” in a sentence correctly.
When to Use ‘That’ in a Sentence
First, it’s important to know when “that” is really needed in a sentence. This word frequently attaches dependent clauses to independent clauses, and it is strictly necessary if a clause begins with certain subordinating conjunctions, such as before, while and in addition to. “That” also should be used before clauses that clarify a noun.
- She said that although the sunrise workout sounded like a brilliant idea, sleeping in also sounded good.
- The notion that their project would be finished by the original deadline was laughable.
“That” additionally should appear after certain verbs, such as contend, estimate and point out. If you’re a native speaker, you can probably intuitively identify many of these verbs.
- He enthusiastically declared that he would stop procrastinating tomorrow.
You also should use “that” if a sentence would sound awkward without it. If you’re in doubt, include it, since this does less harm than incorrectly omitting it.
When to Leave Out ‘That’
To decide whether you can omit “that” from a sentence, check how naturally and intelligibly the sentence reads without it. Usually, you can drop “that” if it follows a verb that essentially means “to say.” This omission mimics natural speech and shouldn’t change the meaning of the sentence.
- The children claimed an ice cream break would help them study more effectively.
- She insisted she wasn’t responsible for the houseplant’s untimely death.
However, it’s usually better to keep “that” if other words fall between the verb and the dependent clause.
- The kids also said this morning that a television break would enhance their studying.
- She admitted begrudgingly that she might have contributed to the plant’s demise.
You also can usually omit “that” if it precedes a simple relative clause.
- Neither of them was particularly excited about the compromise (that) they reached.
Using ‘That’ Twice in a Row
When you’re trimming unnecessary uses of “that” from your writing, be sure to pay attention to sentences where it appears multiple times or even twice in a row (“that that”). These sentences can be grammatically correct but stylistically undesirable. For example, at BKA, we use Associated Press Style, which requires sentences to be constructed in a manner that eliminates consecutive uses of “that.”
- He confessed that that plan had been formulated on three hours of sleep.
- He confessed that they had only slept three hours when they formulated that plan.
Even if you’re not following a strict style guide, it’s often beneficial to try revising sentences to avoid using “that” too redundantly.
Using ‘That’ or ‘Which’
It can be tempting to cut back on “that” by replacing it with “which,” but these words aren’t actually interchangeable. “That” introduces information that is integral to the meaning of a sentence, while “which” precedes information that is non-essential and offset by commas.
- The first kindergarten class that all 31 students attended was miraculously free of mishaps.
- The first kindergarten class, which all 31 students attended, was miraculously free of mishaps.
In this example, each sentence has a distinct meaning. The first describes a specific class when all 31 students were present for the first time, while in the second, the attendance of all 31 kids is a non-essential detail.
Got All That?
Striking the right balance between overusing the word “that” and omitting it improperly takes a little thought, but with practice, it should become second nature. What other common words do people overuse? Tell us about it in the comments section! If you’re looking for help on grammar rules, check out some of our other GrammarSpot posts.