Qkw
Letter Q
The letter Q almost always appears with U and makes the /kw/ sound, like in 'queen', 'quick', and 'quit'.
How this rule works
Q is nearly always followed by U to form the /kw/ blend. It never appears alone without U in common English words. Think of Q as always needing its partner U.
Remember: Q always brings its friend U — /kw/ like a duck that says quack!
Examples
Exceptions
A few words from other languages use Q without U (qi, qigong).
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