What is a vowel? Vowels are a certain kind of letter. These letters are vowels: A, E, I, O, U Every word in the English language contains at least one vowel. For example . . . * Cat * Train * Run * Love Vowels can make “short” or “long” sounds. When a vowel sounds like its name does, it’s making a long sound. Otherwise, the vowel is making its short sound. For example . . . Vowel Long sound Short sound A Alien Cat E Bee Bed I Find Dig O Toe Dog U Music Bug *There is one special letter that is only sometimes a vowel: Y The letter Y can be both a vowel and a consonant, depending on how it’s used in a word. If Y appears at the beginning of a word, it is NOT a vowel; it is a consonant. For example . . . * Yellow * Yes Otherwise, Y is a vowel. For example, in these words, we consider Y a vowel: * Boy * Toy * Fly * Cry * Why