It is suggested that working memory comprises a system for the temporary storage and manipulation of information, forming an important link between perception and controlled action. Evidence is presented for a three-component model, comprising an attentional control system, the central executive, and two subsidiary slave systems. One of these the, the visuo-spatial sketch pad holds and manipulates spatial information, while the other, the phonological loop performs a similar function for auditory and speech-based information. Evidence is presented for the view that the phonological loop has evolved as a mechanism to facilitate the acquisition of language.