Here's why:
* Short vowel sound: The "ou" in "cloud" makes a short "ow" sound, similar to the "ow" in "cow" or "how."
* Long vowel sound: A long vowel sound would be represented by a vowel saying its own name, like the "o" in "go" or the "e" in "see."
Let me know if you'd like to explore more vowel sounds!