Here's why:
* Basic vowel sound: The letter "o" in "gone" would normally have a long vowel sound, as in "go".
* Silent "e" rule: The silent "e" at the end of the word changes the pronunciation. In many words, a silent "e" at the end indicates that the preceding vowel has a long sound. However, this rule doesn't apply to "gone".
* Short vowel pattern: The combination of "o" followed by "n" and a silent "e" creates a short vowel sound. This is a common pattern in English, such as in words like "son", "ton", and "won".
Therefore, the silent "e" in "gone" doesn't lengthen the vowel sound but instead influences the pronunciation to create the short "o" sound.