Single crystalline metastable phase VO₂ (A) nanorods were successfully synthesized by using a hydrothermal method, and the evolution of vibrational modes of VO₂ (A) nanorods has been observed in the vicinity of the structural phase transition. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was employed to study the structural phase transition, and the abrupt changes of vibrational absorption bands at different temperatures showed a reversible phase transition. Raman spectrum measurement was performed to observe firstly the temperature-induced phase transition of VO₂ (A) nanorods. The Raman modes near the phase transition temperature display the phonon softening behaviour.