Here's why:
* Short vowel sounds are typically represented by a single vowel letter and are often followed by one or two consonants. In "cone," the vowel "o" is followed by the consonant "n."
* Long vowel sounds are usually represented by a vowel followed by a silent "e" at the end of the word or by a vowel digraph (two vowels together).
While the "o" in "cone" isn't a long vowel sound, it is a bit longer than the "o" in words like "cot" or "hot." This is because the "e" at the end of "cone" is silent, but it still slightly influences the vowel sound.