After 'qu', how does the letter 'a' typically sound?

The sound that 'a' typically makes after 'qu' is similar to the 'a' in "watch." This is consistent with the phonetic patterns observed in English, where the combination 'qu' tends to influence the vowel sounds that follow it. In many instances, particularly in words that have a strong or short vowel sound following 'qu,' the 'a' takes on that quality, resulting in a pronunciation closer to the 'a' sound found in "watch."

This is important for students of Multi-Sensory Structured Language Education as it emphasizes the connection between letter combinations and their resulting sounds, which is fundamental in teaching phonics and aiding spelling and reading skills. Understanding these patterns allows learners to decode and pronounce new words correctly, enhancing their language proficiency.