At room temperature, metals typically stand proud as solid giants having their ordered internal structure readily yielding to malleability and ductility.
The ability of a material to be deformed without breaking defines its malleability and ductility. Metals, empowered by their loosely bound electrons and ability to rearrange their internal structure, excel in these respects which allows them to be shaped into diverse forms, underpinning their structural applications.
Nonmetals, with their rigid covalent bonds, are brittle and prone to fracture, limiting their malleability and ductility. Metalloids, occupies the diagonal transition zone, bridge this gap. Silicon, for instance, exhibits some malleability but remains brittle under certain conditions.