: How to "show" a "Yes" head confirmation How can I "show" that my character is saying "yes" as a respond from a question? The only thing that comes to my mind is Mike moves his head,

@Rambettina586

Posted in: #Emotions #ShowingTelling #WordChoice

How can I "show" that my character is saying "yes" as a respond from a question?
The only thing that comes to my mind is


Mike moves his head, confirming that he is okay.


I think this is not good since I'm telling and not showing.

I also would like to say that English is not my native language so if you find another problem please don't go hard on me.

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@Correia211

@Correia211

As noted in another answer, the word is nod. However, you can add additional aspects to show how that nod is modified.

Mike shrugs and, after a short delay, nods. A grudging acceptance.

Mike grins, giving a vigorous thumbs up, and nods. A strong affirmation.

There are dozens of ways to show the strength and contexts of nodding.

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@Sue2132873

@Sue2132873

The word you are looking for is "nod".


Mike nods his head, confirming that he was okay.


"Shakes" his head would be used for negation.

It's usually a good idea to include context that reinforces the message the character is sending ("confirming that he is okay" in this case), for readers who are unfamiliar with the gestures. I'm also not entirely sure how universal the gestures are - research should be done before including the gesture in your story.

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