Section 6 · Typography

Kerning

Definition

The adjustment of space between two specific letters to correct awkward gaps or collisions, so pairs sit together evenly.

Why it matters

Certain letter combinations trap too much or too little space; kerning fixes these problem pairs so words read as unified shapes rather than a string of loose characters.

Example

Pairs like “AV,” “To,” and “We” often need tightening, since the angled or open forms leave a visible hole at default spacing.

Not to be confused with

Tracking — kerning adjusts the space between one specific pair; tracking adjusts spacing uniformly across a whole range of text. See Tracking (Letter Spacing).