relating to the time when someone or something is starting to develop in character

She spent her formative years in Africa. 她在非洲度过了性格形成时期。

a formative experience 性格形成时期的一段经历

a formative period 性格形成时期

A formative assessment happens while a student is being taught about a subject, rather than at the end of a year or unit of work, in order to check their progress.

Continual formative assessment of student understanding through observation, student questioning, and written assignments helps teachers decide how well students are doing. 通过观察、学生提问和书面作业对学生的理解进行持续的形成性评估，帮助教师掌握学生的学习情况。