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Q is always followed by U
queen, quick, quiet.
Grades 1-3
The rule
In English spelling the letter q is followed by u, and together they usually say /kw/.
How it works
| queen | qu says /kw/ |
| quick | qu says /kw/ |
| quiet | qu says /kw/ |
| question | qu says /kw/ |
| square | qu says /kw/ |
Watch out for
- In some words borrowed from French, qu says just /k/: unique, antique, mosquito.
- A handful of borrowed words break the rule entirely, such as qi and niqab.