Here's why:
* The vowel sound in "closet" is the short "o" sound. This is the same sound as in words like "hot", "lot", and "mop".
* Short vowel sounds are typically found in closed syllables. A closed syllable is one that ends in a consonant. In "closet", the "o" is followed by the consonants "s", "l", and "t".
Therefore, the vowel sound in "closet" is a short vowel sound.