Word whiskers are not just crutches for the language novice. They are also crutches for many a skilled public speaker. Most public speakers or lecturers will rid themselves of that nasty word whisker or two by better material preparation and by practicing the material out loud several times.

What are word whiskers? They are little words or phrases that have little or no meaning that are unintentionally interjected into a sentence. They irritate and distract the listener. Here are some of MY word whiskers that I have had to stop using: and-uh, uh, uh-huh, yep, that's right, you got it, just like that, oh yeah, you see...The list goes on and on.

Word whiskers seem to be an interruption, like a small bump in the road between the brain, that knows what it wants to say, and the mouth, that does the saying. For the public speaker, preparation is normally the biggest key. And even though we could go into great detail about the public speaker, here, we want to concentrate on word whiskers for the person learning a new language. How can you stop them?

First, slow down. Speed kills. The language learner often speaks too fast out of nervousness. I have literally taken a big, huge breath and held it for several seconds so that my entire body seemed to relax. Then, I picked up my notes and continued on as if nothing had happened. I have done that in front of over ten thousand people. It works. Take a breath and slow down.

Second, think ideas instead of words. When you are conversing in your mother tongue you do not think words. You think ideas. Your brain takes a picture of something and lets your mouth describe it. If you want to become fluent in the new language, why do it differently? You shouldn't. So, think picture. Think ideas.

Third, have a friend help you. An honest friend, that is. My wife and I help one another. She helps me when I get off the public speaking platform. She hands me a little list and smiles. I just hope that the list is short! But whatever is on it, she's usually right. And she always tells me the truth. So, I smile back at her. Then, I work on whatever is on the list. It's that simple. Hey! If I really want to get drastic I have her interrupt me as I'm speaking to her. Just a few short interruptions and, voila! That's it. (Now, for those of you with no significant other, or with too much fear, you can use a tape recorder. But it's not nearly as much fun!)

If you can put into practice the first two little suggestions, you should be able to get the mastery over the unwanted word whisker. Take a breath and slow down. Think basic pictures and ideas instead of words. If you can put into practice the third suggestion, you'll be a better person for it. And you will probably get quicker results too!

Find a complete album of videos for learning English for ESL learners on my YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/englishsponge

Mr. Wilson is a teacher and trainer who has over 25 years in the education field. As a double certified TESOL Instructor he has volunteered much of his time over the years to help people learn language and better their lives. He now teaches language live over the internet in both an individual and group format. He has engrossed himself in the study of heightening memory capability while grasping a new language. Find out more at http://www.youtube.com/englishsponge