Why do nonmetals tend to gain electrons in reactions with metals?

Nonmetals tend to gain electrons when reacting with metals primarily due to their high ionization energy and high electronegativity.12

In the periodic table, nonmetals are located in the upper right-hand region, where atoms possess a strong ability to attract electrons. Because nonmetals have relatively large ionization energies, they do not readily lose their own electrons; instead, they attract electrons from metal atoms, which typically have low ionization energies and lose electrons easily.12

This electron transfer is driven by the tendency of atoms to achieve a stable electron configuration, often referred to as the octet rule. By gaining electrons, nonmetal atoms complete their valence shells to match the stable configuration of a noble gas, resulting in the formation of negatively charged anions. The resulting electrostatic attraction between the newly formed positive cations and negative anions creates an ionic compound.3421