从形式上看,大多数属于封闭性词类,并且具有相应的代词。
从位置上看,在名词短语中,它们位于形容词之前。
从功能上看,它们对其后的名词起限定作用。
从用法上看,在名词短语中,大多数限定词是相互排斥的,而形容词的使用从理论上说是没有数量限制的。
冠词(article)定冠词(DEFINITE ARTICLE),不定冠词(INDEFINITE ARTICLE),零冠词(ZERO ARTICLE)
形容词性的物主代词限定词(POSSESSIVE PRONOUN DETERMINATOR),my,your,his,her,our,their,its.名词属格(POSSESSIVE NOUN),John's,my friend's.指示限定词(DEMONSTRATIVE DETERMINATOR),this,that,these,those,such.关系限定词(RELATIVE DETERMINATOR),whose,which.疑问限定词(INTERROGATIVE DETERMINATOR),what,which,whose.不定限定词(INDEFINITE DETERMINATOR),no,some,any,each,every,enough,either,neither,all,both,half,several,many,much,(a) few,(a) little,other,another.
数词(numeral)基数词(CARDINAL NUMBER) 和序数词(ORDINAL NUMBER)倍数词(MULTIPLICATIVE NUMBER) 和分数词(FRACTIONAL NUMBER)
量词(QUANTIFIER) a lot of,lots of,plenty of,a great deal of,a good deal of,a large amountof,a small amount of,a quantity of,a great number of,a good number of 等。