Q&A for How to Stop Saying the Word "Like"

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.

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.

Some people have trouble thinking of the words they want to use, so they'll use "like" as a placeholder. Other people might not have a very large vocabulary, so "like" is a fallback word that they use often.

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.