Even... Not to Mention: 连……，更不用说……
连……，更不用说……
Use 连……更不用说…… to emphasize that if even an extreme case applies, a less extreme case goes without saying
This pattern presents an extreme case with 连……都/也 and then uses 更不用说 (needless to say / not to mention) to indicate that a less extreme case is even more obviously true. The logic: "Even X is the case — needless to say, Y is too."
更不用说 literally means "even less need to say" — i.e., it goes without saying. The 了 at the end is very common and adds a tone of finality. This pattern is closely related to 别说……连……都…… but the emphasis structure is reversed: here, 连 comes first with the extreme case.
Lesson Targets
Podcast
Podcast: Even... Not to Mention: 连……，更不用说…… (连……，更不用说……)
Listen to Jason & Amy explain the 连……，更不用说…… pattern
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Understanding 连……，更不用说……
The 连……更不用说…… pattern is a powerful way to make an argument by presenting an extreme example first and then pointing out that a less extreme case is self-evidently true. The word 连 (even) highlights that the first case is already surprising or noteworthy, and 更不用说 (needless to say / not to mention) dismisses the second case as so obvious it barely deserves mention. This pattern differs from 别说……连……都 in its direction: here you start with the extreme case and work down, whereas 别说 starts with the less extreme case and works up. Both achieve the same rhetorical effect of emphasis through escalation, but 连……更不用说 feels more like building a case from evidence to conclusion.
Key Points
- 连……都/也 presents the extreme or surprising case first.
- 更不用说 means "needless to say / not to mention" and introduces the obvious case.
- The extreme case makes the less extreme case self-evidently true.
- Adding 了 at the end of the 更不用说 clause is very natural and common.
- Differs from 别说……连……都 in direction: 连 comes first here, 别说 comes first there.
- Effective in arguments, complaints, descriptions of difficulty, and persuasive writing.
In Chinese argumentation, demonstrating a point through an extreme example (以小见大 or 以大见小) is considered especially convincing. This pattern lets you do exactly that — showing that even the extreme case holds true, making the ordinary case undeniable.
Key Vocabulary
Example Sentences
连他都不会做，更不用说我了。
Even he can't do it, not to mention me.
Self-deprecating emphasis
我连上次的考试都没通过，更不用说这次的了。
I didn't even pass the last exam, not to mention this one.
他连几个字都不会写，更不用说写作文了。
He can't even write a few characters, not to mention writing an essay.
连专业运动员都觉得累，更不用说普通人了。
Even professional athletes find it exhausting, not to mention ordinary people.
这条路连白天走都危险，更不用说晚上了。
This road is dangerous even during the day, not to mention at night.
连北京的房租都涨了这么多，更不用说房价了。
Even Beijing's rent has gone up this much, not to mention housing prices.
Common Mistakes
This sentence is actually correct if "I" am the less capable person — meaning "even I can do it, so of course he (who is more capable) can too." The key is ensuring the 连 clause contains the more extreme/surprising case and 更不用说 contains the more obvious one. A common error is reversing the scale accidentally.
The 连 clause needs 都 or 也 and a complete verb phrase. The 更不用说 clause needs its own subject and the sentence-final 了.
The order is fixed: 连……都/也 clause comes first, then 更不用说. Reversing them breaks the logical flow.
Practice Exercises
Tips & Tricks
Always check your scale: the 连 clause should present the more extreme/surprising case, and 更不用说 presents the more obvious implication.
Don't forget 了 at the end of the 更不用说 clause — it sounds incomplete without it.
This pattern pairs naturally with ability expressions: 连X都做不到/不会/不行，更不用说Y了。
For writing, this pattern is excellent for building emphasis in arguments about difficulty, cost, or capability.
Homework
Write five sentences using 连……更不用说……了. Cover these topics: (1) academic difficulty, (2) financial cost, (3) physical ability, (4) time commitment, (5) a topic of your choice. Make sure the 连 clause always contains the more extreme case.