Short Vowel:
* Sound: The vowel sound is quick and short.
* Spelling: Often spelled with a single vowel letter.
* Example: "cat" (short 'a'), "dog" (short 'o'), "pen" (short 'e')
Long Vowel:
* Sound: The vowel sound is drawn out and longer.
* Spelling: Can be spelled in various ways:
* Double vowel: "feet" (long 'e'), "boat" (long 'o'), "rain" (long 'a')
* Vowel followed by 'e': "make" (long 'a'), "time" (long 'i'), "hope" (long 'o')
* Vowel + 'r': "car" (long 'a'), "bird" (long 'i'), "fur" (long 'u')
* Vowel digraph: "see" (long 'e'), "pie" (long 'i')
Here's a simple way to remember:
* Short vowels: Say the vowel sound quickly, like you're trying to whisper it.
* Long vowels: Say the vowel sound slowly, like you're singing it.
It's important to note: The length of a vowel sound can be influenced by the surrounding letters, even if the spelling suggests a short or long vowel. For example, the word "bite" has a long 'i' sound, even though it doesn't follow the typical "vowel + e" rule.