Here's why:
* Short vowel sound: The "i" in "sling" makes a short "i" sound, similar to the "i" in "sit" or "pin".
* Long vowel sound: Long vowel sounds are usually associated with a vowel followed by a consonant and a silent "e" (like "bike") or a vowel digraph (like "rain").
Let me know if you have any other words you'd like to categorize!