Here's why:
* Short vowel sound: The vowel sound in "tail" is a short "a" sound, similar to the "a" in "cat" or "hat".
* Long vowel words: Long vowel words typically have a long vowel sound, often represented by a single vowel letter followed by a silent "e" at the end (like "cake" or "hope").
Therefore, "tail" is a short vowel word.