From the word lettered A to D, choose the word that best completes each of the following sentences The...years of a child's life mould his character

Analyze the question: The sentence is "The ___ years of a child's life mould his character." We need a word describing the years that shape or build a child's character.

Explain the concept: This is a vocabulary-in-context question. The key clue is the verb "mould," which means to shape or influence. The word we want must describe the early years as the period when a person's character is shaped.

Check each option:

• A. restrained means held back or controlled. It doesn't describe years that shape character.
• B. constructive means useful or helpful, as in "constructive criticism." It describes advice or actions, not a period of life, so it doesn't fit.
• C. conflicting means clashing or contradictory. It doesn't fit the idea of shaping character.
• D. formative means relating to the shaping or development of something. "Formative years" is a standard collocation meaning the early years when a person's personality and character develop.

Answer: The sentence reads correctly as "The formative years of a child's life mould his character.

Tip: "Formative" comes from "form," meaning to shape. When you see "mould," "shape," or "develop" in a sentence, look for a word with the same idea. Also learn common collocations like formative years, constructive criticism, and conflicting reports, since WASSCE and JAMB often test them.