Here's why:
* Short vowel sound: The "a" in "ate" has a short vowel sound, similar to the "a" in "cat" or "hat".
* Long vowel words: Long vowel words typically have a vowel sound that is pronounced like the letter's name. For example, "bake" has a long "a" sound like the letter "a".
So, while "ate" might seem like a long vowel word because it has two letters, the vowel sound is actually short.