What is the difference between a short and a long vowel?

In English pronunciation, the difference between short and long vowels is primarily in the duration—the length of time the vowel sound is held—and the position of the mouth and tongue when producing the sound.

Short vowels are typically quicker and are made with the mouth and tongue in a more relaxed position. They are found in words like "cat" (the 'a' sound), "bed" (the 'e' sound), "fish" (the 'i' sound), "top" (the 'o' sound), and "cut" (the 'u' sound). Short vowel sounds are not held for an extended period, and they usually appear in syllables that are stressed and closed off by a consonant.

Long vowels, on the other hand, sound like the letter name and are held longer. The mouth is often more tensed and the tongue is positioned higher. Long vowels can be represented by a single letter or a combination of letters and often occur in words with silent 'e' at the end, like "make" (the 'a' sound), "scene" (the 'e' sound), "bike" (the 'i' sound), "note" (the 'o' sound), and "cute" (the 'u' sound). They can also occur in open syllables where nothing follows the vowel, as in "he," "me," and "no."

The distinction between short and long vowels is crucial in English because it can change the meaning of words, sometimes dramatically. For example, the difference in pronunciation between "ship" and "sheep" lies in the length of the 'i' sound, which is short in "ship" and long in "sheep."