# tracking

/ˈtɹækɪŋ/ (US) · /tɹˈækɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/tracking
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. monitoring movement

noun · CEFR B1

the act of following where someone or something is going.

For teachers: the process of following the path or movement of an object or person, often using electronic or digital systems.

- The website provides real-time tracking for your delivery so you know exactly when it will arrive.
- Advanced satellite tracking allows researchers to monitor the migration patterns of sea turtles across the Pacific Ocean with remarkable precision.

### 2. ability grouping

noun · CEFR B2 · American English

putting students into different classes based on how well they do in school.

For teachers: the educational practice of assigning students to specific groups or classes based on their perceived academic ability or achievement levels.

- Some parents worry that tracking prevents students from learning from peers with different skills.
- Critics of academic tracking argue that it reinforces social inequalities by limiting the opportunities available to students in lower-tier groups.

### 3. letter spacing

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the amount of space between all the letters in a piece of writing.

For teachers: the consistent adjustment of the space between letters in a block of text to improve legibility or appearance.

- If the tracking is too tight, the letters will touch and become hard to read.
- The graphic designer adjusted the tracking on the headline to ensure the text filled the width of the page without looking cramped.

## Examples

- The school uses tracking to group students for math classes.
- Critics of educational tracking argue that it can limit the opportunities of students placed in lower-level groups.
- While proponents suggest that tracking allows for more targeted instruction, many sociologists warn that it reinforces existing socioeconomic disparities by isolating disadvantaged students in less rigorous academic tracks.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.