When it comes to the word “ball,” the vowel sound is actually a short vowel. This is because it follows the short-vowel rule for one-syllable words with a vowel in the middle. In this case, the letter “a” in “ball” has a short sound.
Now, let me explain this rule a bit further. When we have a one-syllable word with a vowel in the middle, such as “cat,” “dog,” “man,” “hat,” “mom,” “dad,” or “got,” the vowel usually has a short sound. This means that the vowel is pronounced as a short and quick sound, rather than a long and sustained sound.
In some cases, when the letter after the vowel is “f,” “l,” or “s,” we often double that letter. For example, in the word “staff,” the letter “a” is followed by “ff,” which helps to indicate that the vowel sound is short. Similarly, in the words “ball” and “pass,” the letter “a” is followed by “ll” and “ss” respectively, reinforcing the short sound of the vowel.
To summarize, in the word “ball,” the vowel “a” has a short sound due to the short-vowel rule for one-syllable words with a vowel in the middle. This rule helps us understand the pronunciation of words and how vowels can differ in sound depending on their position in a word.