Here's why:
* Short "a" sound: The vowel sound in "snail" is a short "a" sound, as in "cat" or "hat."
* Long vowel sounds: Long vowel sounds are usually indicated by a vowel followed by a silent "e" at the end of a word (like "cake") or a double vowel (like "meat").
So, while "snail" has a vowel sound, it's a short "a" sound, not a long one.