Here's why:
* Short vowel sound: The vowel sound in "strike" is a short "i" sound, like the "i" in "bit" or "fit".
* Long vowel sound: A long vowel sound would typically be represented by a single vowel with a silent "e" at the end of the word, or by a vowel followed by a consonant and then another vowel (e.g., "hate," "cone").
Therefore, "strike" has a short vowel sound.