Speakers - A Must to Avoid

What's your list of "Must to Avoids"? 

Watch for these when you are speaking (and add your own words to this list)

Do these make you wince when you hear Radio and TV
Announcers, Speakers, MCs, or people attempting to be MCs (weddings, for example, eeeeek!).  The things they say sure make me wince. 

What's your unfavourite?


1. "As John said, my name is Sally"
2.  "As I said before".....(not necessary - very likely no one will remember what you said before)
3.  "I don't do this very often" (don't start with an apology)
4.  "I'm really nervous"  (ditto)
5.  "In terms of"  (M O massively overused)
6.  "In this space"  (M O)
7.  "Look"  (is there anyone who can answer a question without this preface?"  M O )
8.   "Well"  (ditto)
9.  "And now without further ado"  (Major Bad for Speakers) (M M O)
10. "Moving right along"  (ditto)
11. Last but not least" (ditto)
12. "In spite of her busy schedule"  (M O)
13. "Thank you" at the END of your speech - (M O - find another way of saying "thank you"
14. "Thank you for having me" - Very Twee - M O - find another way
15. "Unaccustomed as I am, to public speaking"  (puhlease! - don't)
16. "So that's all I have to say"   (ditto)

and, one more big No No, please try to avoid saying:
"Ay Book, Ay Pencil, Ay paper, Ay Great Big New Tax" etc.  It ain't Ay - it's just "a" as in:
a book, a pencil, a person with blocked ears! 

And, I wish you all a "Great Big New Year"