Here's why:
* Short vowel sounds are typically found in words with one syllable and are often followed by a consonant. For example, "cat", "dog", "sun", "hop".
* Long vowel sounds can be found in words with multiple syllables or in words where the vowel is followed by a consonant and a silent "e" at the end, like "cake" or "hope".
In "unfair", the "a" sound is pronounced as a long "a" sound, similar to the "a" in "care" or "fair".