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Sin embargo, el jefe encontró el problema rastreando la entrega.

Sin embargo, el jefe encontró el problema rastreando la entrega.
However, the boss found the problem tracking the delivery.
From Lesson 293:Adverbial gerunds·Spanish (Latin America)

Questions & Answers about Sin embargo, el jefe encontró el problema rastreando la entrega.

Why is there no preposition before rastreando to mean 'by tracking'?
In Spanish, the gerund (the -ando or -iendo form) is used all by itself to express the method or means of doing something. While in English we often say 'by tracking', Spanish simply uses the gerund without a preposition like por or con. Here, rastreando alone explains the method the boss used to find the problem.
How do we know who is doing the tracking here?
When an adverbial gerund is used to explain how an action was done, it shares the same subject as the main verb. Here, the main verb is encontró, and its subject is el jefe (the boss). Because of this rule, it is crystal clear in Spanish that the boss was tracking the delivery, not the problem.
Is the noun entrega related to the verb entregar?
Yes! Entregar is a common verb meaning 'to deliver' or 'to hand in'. Dropping the final 'r' gives you la entrega, which is the noun form meaning 'the delivery'.
Could we move the gerund phrase to the beginning of the sentence?
Yes, you could say Rastreando la entrega, el jefe encontró el problema. Just like in English, placing the gerund phrase at the start emphasizes the method used. Both word orders are completely natural and grammatically correct in Spanish.

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