How to stop saying "like" without sounding stiff

"Like" often appears when you're about to say something imprecise.

Instead of removing it, replace its job.

Replacement patterns

1) Approximate with a number

• "like 10" → "about ten"
• "like a few" → "two or three"

2) Name the category

• "like, the thing is" → "the risk is"
• "like, it's hard" → "the constraint is"

3) Use one clean bridge

• "like, basically" → "the short version is…"

Drill (90 seconds)

Answer: "What's a trade-off you've made recently?"

Each time "like" appears, restart the sentence with:

• "specifically…"
• "in practical terms…"
• "the constraint is…"