Climactic Concession with 别说…连…也/都 in Chinese
别说…连…也/都
别说…连…也/都 builds a scale: if even the less expected or more basic case satisfies the proposition, the stronger case need not be mentioned. The paired markers assign distinct slots. 连 must precede its focused constituent, and 也 or 都 must stand before that clause's predicate.
Published July 23, 2026
Reviewed July 23, 2026
01 / PATTERN
See the Structure
MODEL
别说 + Higher Case, 连 + Lower Case + 也/都 + Predicate
Read the structure
别说…连…也/都 builds a scale: if even the less expected or more basic case satisfies the proposition, the stronger case need not be mentioned. The paired markers assign distinct slots. 连 must precede its focused constituent, and 也 or 都 must stand before that clause's predicate. Keep the model 别说 + Higher Case, 连 + Lower Case + 也/都 + Predicate visible while you compare each sentence.
别说大学生了，连小学生都比他写得好。
Never mind university students; even primary pupils write better than he does.
Choose the right context
Use 别说 to introduce the stronger or less doubtful case. Use 连 before the surprising lower endpoint. Use 也 or 都 before the predicate shared by the focused endpoint.
我现在连饭也吃不起，别说买新衣服了。
I cannot even afford food, let alone new clothes.
Respect the boundary
Do not omit 也/都 after the 连 phrase. Do not place 连 after its focused noun phrase. Do not insert aspect inside the mandatory marker sequence.
别说大学生了，小学生连都比他写得好。
(Never mind university students; even primary pupils write better.)
Repair the pattern
Focus marker follows its noun phrase: 连 must precede the focused constituent 小学生; it cannot follow it. Scalar particle appears after the predicate: In the 连…也 frame, 也 must precede the predicate 吃不起.
别说大学生了，连小学生都比他写得好。
Use the repaired structure without changing the intended meaning.
02 / MAP
Read the Sentence
Read from left to right and notice the job performed by each part. The labels describe this example; they are not a rule that every Chinese sentence must copy.
别说大学生了，连小学生都比他写得好。
Never mind university students; even primary pupils write better than he does.
别
别说
This part occupies the 别说 position in the model pattern.
说
Higher Case, 连
This part occupies the Higher Case, 连 position in the model pattern.
大学生
Lower Case
This part occupies the Lower Case position in the model pattern.
了
也/都
This part occupies the 也/都 position in the model pattern.
，
Predicate
This part occupies the Predicate position in the model pattern.
连
别说
This part occupies the 别说 position in the model pattern.
小学生
Higher Case, 连
This part occupies the Higher Case, 连 position in the model pattern.
都比
Lower Case
This part occupies the Lower Case position in the model pattern.
他
也/都
This part occupies the 也/都 position in the model pattern.
写
Predicate
This part occupies the Predicate position in the model pattern.
得
别说
This part occupies the 别说 position in the model pattern.
好
Higher Case, 连
This part occupies the Higher Case, 连 position in the model pattern.
03 / EXAMPLES
Examples You Can Reuse
Keep the structure stable while changing the people, objects, times, or conditions. Pinyin is shown as reading support; use the Chinese sentence and translation to confirm the grammar relationship.
别说大学生了，连小学生都比他写得好。
Never mind university students; even primary pupils write better than he does.
我现在连饭也吃不起，别说买新衣服了。
I cannot even afford food, let alone new clothes.
别说爸爸，即使是老师也说不出答案。
Never mind Dad; even a teacher could not give the answer.
04 / LIMITS
When to Use It — and When Not To
Use it when
- Use 别说 to introduce the stronger or less doubtful case.
- Use 连 before the surprising lower endpoint.
- Use 也 or 都 before the predicate shared by the focused endpoint.
Do not use it when
- Do not omit 也/都 after the 连 phrase.
- Do not place 连 after its focused noun phrase.
- Do not insert aspect inside the mandatory marker sequence.
05 / REPAIR
Compare Right and Wrong
Compare the smallest meaningful change. Each explanation identifies a placement, scope, form, or clause relationship instead of treating the whole sentence as one undifferentiated mistake.
别说大学生了，小学生连都比他写得好。
别说大学生了，连小学生都比他写得好。
Focus marker follows its noun phrase
连 must precede the focused constituent 小学生; it cannot follow it.
我现在连饭吃不起也，别说买新衣服了。
我现在连饭也吃不起，别说买新衣服了。
Scalar particle appears after the predicate
In the 连…也 frame, 也 must precede the predicate 吃不起.
别说大学生了，小学生连都比他写得好。
连 must precede the focused constituent 小学生; it cannot follow it.
我现在连饭吃不起也，别说买新衣服了。
In the 连…也 frame, 也 must precede the predicate 吃不起.
06 / PRACTICE
Practice the Grammar Point
Complete three short tasks in order: judge the pattern, repair a common error, and build the sentence. Feedback is fixed and reviewed, so these activities do not use a checker allowance.
1. Judge the sentence
2. Choose the correction
3. Build the sentence
Build a complete sentence with 别说…连…也/都.
07 / APPLY
Apply It in Your Sentence
Write one original sentence with 别说…连…也/都. Your draft moves to the checker through this browser session, selects this grammar point as the first review focus, and waits for you to submit.
08 / QUESTIONS
Climactic Concession with 别说…连…也/都 Questions
Must 别说 come first?
No. GF also records orders where the 连…也/都 clause precedes the 别说 phrase.
Can 即使 replace 连?
Some licensed variants use 即使…也, but their marker placement must remain complete.
09 / SOURCES
Sources and Review Notes
These references support different parts of the lesson. GF0025-2021 supports level placement only; professional grammar works support the explanation, limits, examples, and cross-checks. Their inclusion does not imply endorsement.
Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education (GF0025-2021)
Ministry of Education and State Language Commission · Ministry of Education of the PRC · 2021
Locator: GF0025-2021 Appendix A, official combined Levels 7-9 item 【七—九094】 (PDF p. 253)
Provides official combined Levels 7-9 directory placement and examples only; it does not establish the learner-facing usage explanation.
Official sourceModern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide, 3rd ed.
Ross, Ma, Chen, He and Yeh · Routledge · 2024
Locator: Chapter 45, §45.2, even-if concession and marker placement in condition and result clauses
Supports even-focus before the endpoint and 也/都 before its predicate; GF supplies the exact 别说 variants.
Official source10 / CONTINUE
Continue with a Connected Rule
Easy to confuse
连…也/都…连...也/都... (lián...yě/dōu)
别说…连… first dismisses an ordinary case, while 连…也/都… directly focuses the extreme case.
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甚至于…甚至于: Even to the Extent That
Compare the paired escalation 别说…连…也/都… with a single 甚至于 introducing an extreme case.
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连…更不用说…连...更不用说... (lián)
Compare 别说…连…也/都… with 连…更不用说… because they order ordinary and extreme cases differently.
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