Here's why:
* Short vowel sounds are typically represented by a single vowel letter and have a short, quick sound (like the "a" in "cat" or the "i" in "pig").
* Long vowel sounds are often represented by a vowel followed by a silent "e" (like in "bee") or a double vowel (like in "feet"). They have a longer, drawn-out sound.
In the word "bee," the "ee" combination creates a long vowel sound, similar to the sound in the word "see."