Here's why:
* Short vowel sounds are typically found in words where the vowel is followed by a single consonant. In "red," the vowel "e" is followed by the consonant "d".
* Long vowel sounds often occur when the vowel is followed by a consonant and a silent "e" at the end of the word (like "kite" or "hope"), or when the vowel is part of a vowel digraph (like "rain" or "boat").
Therefore, "red" has a short "e" sound.