Here's why:
* Short vowel sound: The vowel "a" in "ant" makes a short "a" sound, like the "a" in "cat" or "hat".
* Long vowel sound: A long vowel sound is when the vowel is pronounced as its name, like the "a" in "bake" or "fate".
So, the "a" in "ant" is a short vowel sound, not a long one.