Does caterpillar have a long or short vowel?

"Caterpillar" has a short vowel sound in the first syllable ("cat").

Here's why:

* Short vowels are typically found in closed syllables, which are syllables that end in a consonant.

* Long vowels are usually found in open syllables, which end in a vowel.

In "caterpillar," the first syllable "cat" is closed because it ends with a consonant ("t"). This creates a short vowel sound.