What characteristic defines long vowels?

Long vowels are defined by their ability to say their name, which means that the vowel sound is pronounced the same as its name in the alphabet. For example, the "a" in "make" and the "a" in "Amy" both produce the long vowel sound associated with the letter. This characteristic is an essential part of phonics instruction, as it helps students differentiate between long and short vowel sounds, thus aiding in reading and spelling.

Understanding long vowels is crucial for literacy development, as recognizing when a vowel is functioning as a long vowel can influence word decoding and pronunciation. In contrast, the other options do not accurately describe long vowels: they do not consistently follow consonants nor are they the same as short vowels, which produce different sounds.