Vocalized pause

Vocalized pause

Term explanation

Definition and meaning

A vocalized pause is a filler sound — such as 'um', 'uh', 'er', or 'like' — used involuntarily by speakers when they pause to think or gather their thoughts. While occasional pauses are natural, frequent vocalized pauses can undermine a speaker's credibility, reduce clarity, and make a presentation feel less polished. Reducing vocalized pauses is a common goal in public speaking coaching, and is typically addressed through practice, conscious awareness, and the deliberate use of silent pauses instead.

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Other glossary terms

Pitch

A pitch is a short presentation that is given with the intention of persuading someone (a person or company) to buy or invest. There are various forms of pitches, depending on the goal and intended outcome.

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Listening

Listening is a very important part of communication. To be good in communication you need to be a good listener. That doesn't mean just hearing what the other person is saying. But you need to listen active, engage your mind and intently focus on what your talking partner is saying.

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Motivational Presentation

A motivational presentation is designed to inspire, energize, and encourage the audience to pursue a goal or embrace a change. It relies on storytelling, emotional resonance, and vivid examples to create personal relevance and shift the audience's mindset. Motivational presentations are used at company kick-offs, leadership events, team rallies, and public speaking engagements. Their effectiveness depends heavily on the authenticity and energy of the presenter.

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.pps file extension

A .pps file is a legacy PowerPoint slideshow format that opens directly in presentation mode rather than the editing view. Double-clicking a .pps file launches the slideshow immediately, which made it popular for distributing finished presentations to audiences. The .pps format was later replaced by .ppsx as part of Office 2007's shift to an open XML-based file structure.

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