Here's why:
* Short Vowel Sound: The "e" in "smell" makes a short "e" sound, like in "bed" or "pen."
* Long Vowel Sounds: Long vowel sounds are typically represented by a vowel followed by a consonant and a silent "e" at the end of a word (like "name," "hope," or "kite").
Let me know if you'd like to explore more examples of short and long vowel words!