The spelling of "am on tail" may seem confusing at first glance, but it is actually straightforward once the phonetic transcription is considered. In IPA, the word is spelled /æm ɒn teɪl/. The vowel sound in "am" is the short "a" sound, while the vowel sound in "on" is the short "o" sound. The final word, "tail," is pronounced with a long "a" sound represented by the IPA symbol /eɪ/. Once understood, the spelling of "am on tail" becomes a non-issue.