Track vs.Tract How to Use the Right Word

The words track and tract are  near homophones: They sound similar but have different meanings. The only difference in pronunciation is that tract includes the t sound at the very end. Track can be either a noun or a verb, whereas tract is a noun with several different meanings. Both are common in spoken and written English, so its important to understand how to correctly use each. How to Use Track The word track can be used as a noun or a verb, and the meaning changes radically, depending on its usage. As a noun, track means a literal or figurative path, route, or course. A common use of the word track relates to a running track; a related use of the word is in the expression track and field, meaning athletic endeavors related to running, jumping, shot put, and discus throwing. The noun track also refers to a mark left on the floor or ground by a person, animal, or vehicle.   As a verb, track means to travel, pursue, or follow: One can track an animal by following its tracks. One can also track information or keep track of events, finances, or the movements of people, animals, or vehicles. How to Use Tract The noun tract has a number of distinct meanings. A tract can be an expanse of land or water, a housing development, or a pamphlet containing a declaration, appeal, or religious message. The word tract also refers to certain systems of organs and tissues in the body: the digestive tract, the intestinal tract, the respiratory tract, and the urinary tract. Examples The following examples represent the use of the word track in all of its meanings. In the first sentence, the word is used as a noun and means a path or route. In the second, the word is used as a noun meaning to pursue or follow, and in the third, track is used as a noun meaning the marks left by an animal. The volunteers cleared the track through the woods, making it safe for hikers.The police tracked the car and found that it had been stolen.Roger found a coyote track in the backyard and kept his dog safely inside. The examples below use the word tract in its various meanings. In the first sentence, tract is used to mean a system of organs and tissues. In the second sentence, a tract is a political declaration. In the third sentence, it refers to a large expanse of land. The diver reached between the jaws of the shark to dislodge a grappling hook that was stuck in the animals digestive tract.In 1774, Thomas Jefferson  wrote his first tract  on politics, a set of instructions for the Virginia delegates to the First Continental Congress.The large tracts of land available for development were once farmers fields. How to Remember the Difference The word track is much more commonly used than tract, and it is generally used to either describe a running track or the process of tracking a person or animals. The expression keep track of is also very common and is usually used when discussing either information management, as in Im trying to keep track of all these invoices, or management of children or animals, as in Its hard to keep track of my kids many activities. The word tract is more often used in legal documents regarding purchase or sale of land, in religious contexts (a religious tract), or in medical settings (a blocked digestive tract). It is rarely used in casual conversation. Sources Track vs Tract.  Grammarist.Tract.  Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster.