What term describes starting an utterance and then stopping to repeat or reformulate it?

• A. False Start
• B. Interjection
• C. Fillers
• D. Hedging

Answer: (A)

Starting an utterance and then stopping to repeat or reformulate it is called a false start. It happens when you begin speaking, realize the initial phrasing isn’t right, and restart with a clearer or corrected version. For example, you might say, “We should go to the— actually, let’s plan first,” where the sentence is begun, halted, and then reformulated. This is different from fillers, which are specific words like um or uh used to hold the floor while thinking; and from interjections, which are standalone abrupt remarks like “Wow!” or “Oh no.” It’s also not about softening a statement with hedging like “perhaps” or “maybe.” The essence is the act of restarting an utterance after starting it, often to improve clarity or accuracy.