The maximum number of valence shell electron pairs that an element can have is determined by the octet rule, which states that atoms tend to gain, lose, or share electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration with eight electrons in their outermost shell (except for hydrogen and helium, which strive for a duet configuration with two electrons).
Based on the octet rule, elements can have a maximum of four valence shell electron pairs. This is because the valence shell can accommodate a maximum of eight electrons, and each electron pair consists of two electrons.
It's important to note that not all elements can form four valence shell electron pairs. The ability to form multiple electron pairs depends on the element's atomic structure and the number of valence electrons it possesses. For example, elements in the carbon group (Group 14) can form up to four valence shell electron pairs, while elements in other groups may have a different maximum number of electron pairs they can form.