Q: What are the Electronic Characteristics of Non-Metals? A: They are electron acceptors. They possess five or more valence electrons. They are electro-negative - they attract electrons. Non-metals form ionic bonds with metals. In ionically bonded solids, the non-metallic species form anions. In non-metallic, non-ionically bonded solids, the atoms share some or all of their outer shell electrons to form covalent bonds.