Here's why:
* The vowel sound in "long" is /ɒ/ (as in "hot"). This is a short vowel sound, not a long one.
* Long vowel sounds are typically associated with a vowel letter followed by a silent "e" at the end of a word (like "hope") or with a vowel digraph (like "rain").
Let me know if you'd like to explore other vowel sounds!