* Short Vowel Sounds: Short vowel sounds are typically associated with a single vowel letter making a quick, distinct sound. Think of words like "cat," "dog," "hop," and "run."
* "Metal" Vowel Sound: In "metal," the "e" makes a long "e" sound, like in the word "see."
Therefore, "metal" is not a short vowel word because it has a long vowel sound.