What is kerning?

What is kerning?

• A. The spacing between all characters in a block of text.
• B. The spacing between specific pairs or characters.
• C. The spacing after each paragraph.
• D. The color of the text.

Answer: (B)

Kerning is the spacing between specific pairs of characters, adjusted to create a balanced and visually pleasing look. In typography, certain letter combinations—like A and V or T and o—can create awkward gaps or collisions because of their shapes, so kerning tightens or widens the space just for those pairs. This targeted adjustment differs from tracking, which changes spacing uniformly across an entire word or line. It’s also not about the space after a paragraph or the color of the text.

Kerning is the spacing between specific pairs of characters, adjusted to create a balanced and visually pleasing look. In typography, certain letter combinations—like A and V or T and o—can create awkward gaps or collisions because of their shapes, so kerning tightens or widens the space just for those pairs. This targeted adjustment differs from tracking, which changes spacing uniformly across an entire word or line. It’s also not about the space after a paragraph or the color of the text.