Do you add commas when paraphrase?

You don't *need* to add commas when paraphrasing, but you *might* need to add them, depending on the specific structure of your paraphrase and the rules of grammar.

Here's why:

* Paraphrasing is about rewording, not just adding commas. The main goal is to convey the same meaning in your own words. Commas are just one tool to achieve this.

* Commas are used for various purposes in writing. These include separating items in a list, introducing clauses, marking off introductory phrases, etc. If your paraphrase requires using any of these grammatical structures, you'll need to use commas appropriately.

Here's an example:

Original: "The dog barked loudly at the mailman."

Paraphrased: "The mailman was greeted by a loud bark from the dog."

In this example, no commas are needed. However, if you change the structure to:

Paraphrased: "The dog, which was quite large, barked loudly at the mailman."

You would need to add a comma after "dog" to separate the introductory phrase "which was quite large" from the main clause.

In summary:

* Focus on accurately conveying the meaning of the original text in your own words.

* If your paraphrase requires using commas for grammatical purposes, use them correctly.

* If you're unsure about comma usage, you can always consult a grammar guide or style manual.