Short-term Memory stores a limited amount of information for up to 30 seconds. It is our holding tank for skills and knowledge that, with practice, will move to Long-term Memory. Short-term Memory is important for understanding unfamiliar words while reading and for keeping track of our writing plans, including what we have written and are about to write, as we compose.

There are two types of Short-term Memory:

Verbal Short-term Memory stores verbal information.

Visuospatial Short-term Memory stores information about our perceptions of spatial relationships.

Short-term Memory is different from Working Memory because information is not manipulated in Short-term Memory, as it is in Working Memory. When memories in Short-term Memory are rehearsed sufficiently, they are consolidated to become part of Long-term Memory.