Here's the breakdown:
* Vowels are the letters that represent vowel sounds: A, E, I, O, U (and sometimes Y).
* Vowel sounds are the sounds you make when you pronounce those letters.
Think of it like this:
* Vowel: The name of the note on a musical scale.
* Vowel sound: The actual sound you make when you sing that note.
Here's an example:
* Vowel: The letter "A"
* Vowel sound: The sound you make when you say "cat" (short A sound) or "father" (long A sound).
Therefore, a vowel sound is a specific sound, while a vowel is a letter that represents a sound. There are many different vowel sounds, and some vowels can represent multiple sounds.