Here's why:
* The vowel sound in "inch" is the same as the vowel sound in "in". This sound is represented by the letter "i" but it has a long vowel sound.
* Short vowel sounds are typically found in words where the vowel is followed by a single consonant. For example, "cat," "dog," "pen."
* Long vowel sounds are often found in words where the vowel is followed by a consonant and a silent "e" or a double consonant.
Therefore, the "i" in "inch" has a long vowel sound, similar to the sound in "time" or "bike".