Question 1

What counts as a filler word?

Accepted Answer

Filler words are sounds or phrases that fill space without adding meaning. The most common are vocalised pauses ("um", "uh", "erm", "er", "ah") and discourse markers ("like", "you know", "I mean", "basically", "literally", "actually", "sort of", "kind of"). This tool detects all of them automatically and weights vocalised pauses more heavily because interviewers tend to register them faster.

Question 2

How does the test work?

Accepted Answer

You speak for up to 60 seconds into your microphone. Your browser transcribes the audio in real time using its built-in Web Speech API, then we count the filler words, calculate your speaking rate (WPM), and measure your vocabulary diversity right in the page. Note: depending on your browser, the Web Speech API may forward audio to the browser vendor’s speech service (Chrome and Edge use a Google service, for example). Instant Interview itself never receives or stores your audio or transcript.

Question 3

How is the score calculated?

Accepted Answer

Your score (0-100) combines three sub-scores: filler rate (40 points), speaking pace relative to the 120-160 WPM ideal range (35 points), and vocabulary diversity measured as type-token ratio (25 points). Vocalised pauses like "um" carry a heavier weight than softer fillers like "actually".

Question 4

Why do interviewers care about filler words?

Accepted Answer

Linguistic research (Tree, 1995; Schachter et al., 1991) shows that high filler-word density reduces perceived competence and confidence, even when the speaker’s content is strong. In interviews, where every signal counts, "um" every few seconds can shift an interviewer’s impression measurably. The good news: most people can cut their filler rate in half within a week of conscious practice.

Question 5

Why doesn’t this work on my phone?

Accepted Answer

Mobile browsers have unreliable speech-recognition support — they often duplicate words after restarting, which produces inaccurate scores. We disable the mic on mobile to avoid showing you a misleading result. Use a desktop browser (Chrome or Edge work best) for accurate analysis.

Question 6

How can I cut down on filler words?

Accepted Answer

The fastest fix is to replace fillers with silence. When you finish a sentence, breathe instead of bridging to the next one with "um". Other techniques: slow your pace slightly (160-WPM speakers use more fillers than 130-WPM speakers), record yourself answering practice questions and listen back, and pause for two beats before answering instead of starting with "so" or "well".

Question 7

What’s a "good" filler word rate?

Accepted Answer

Under 2% is excellent (about 1 filler per 50 words). 2-5% is acceptable for most interviews. Above 5% becomes noticeable. Above 8% interviewers often describe the candidate as "rambling" or "unsure" in feedback. The average untrained speaker sits around 4-6%.

How often do you
say “um”?

How the score is built.

What we count

The composite score

What the research says

Use this on your own site.

The honest answers.