The Times of India

Why is the letter 'Q' almost always followed by 'U' for every word in the English language?

The common English 'qu' spelling originates from ancient Latin writing traditions. Latin used 'qu' together to represent a specific sound. English adopted this pattern after borrowing many words from Latin and French. This historical convention persists despite some exceptions from other languages. The 'qu' pairing aids reader recognition of familiar pronunciations.