What is the purpose of paraphrasing?

The purpose of paraphrasing is to restate a person's message in your own words. This technique involves taking the original content and rephrasing it while retaining the meaning and context of the original message. Paraphrasing is valuable in clarifying understanding, ensuring accurate communication, and demonstrating comprehension of the material. It allows one to express thoughts in a personalized manner, which can also enhance engagement and connection with the audience.

While memorizing someone's words is useful in some contexts, it does not reflect the intention of paraphrasing, which focuses on interpretation rather than rote repetition. Simplifying complex sentences is beneficial in its own right, but it is a distinct skill from paraphrasing, which aims to maintain the original message's nuance. Summarizing a text involves condensing information to capture its essence, rather than rephrasing the specific wording of the original content, which is the hallmark of paraphrasing.