In phonetics, which word features the short /a/ vowel sound?

The correct answer features the short /a/ vowel sound, which is typically represented phonetically as /æ/. In the word "sample," the first vowel produces the /æ/ sound, which is characteristic of the short /a/ pronunciation. This sound occurs in words where the vowel is followed by one or more consonants and is typically in a stressed position.

It's important to distinguish the short /a/ from other vowel sounds in the other words. For example, "cat" also has the short /a/ sound, while "car" has a broad /ɑ:/ sound, often found in accents where the "a" is pronounced more like "ah." The word "tree" features a long /i:/ vowel sound. Therefore, "sample" is the only word listed that correctly showcases the short /a/ vowel sound.