Progressive and Additive Compound Sentences
Progressive compound sentences move a step further. 不但不…反而… (not only not, but on the contrary) reverses the expected result, 不是…还是… is a rhetorical question, and 连…也/都…更… escalates from an extreme example.
In English
These patterns push a point further. 不但不…反而… says the expected result did not happen and the opposite did: 他不但不生气，反而笑了. 连…也/都… gives an extreme example with 'even' (连小孩子都懂), and 更 or 更不用说 then adds a harder case (let alone ...).
这不是 A，还是什么？ is a rhetorical question that forces the listener to agree that it is A. The classic mistakes are leaving out 也 or 都 after 连 and using 反而 where nothing was reversed.
不是…还是… (rhetorical): '(If) this isn't A, then what is it?' — a rhetorical question that presses a point by eliminating alternatives, implying certainty that it IS A. Often ends with 还是什么.
连…也/都…更… = escalation: 'even X (extreme case) Y-s, so Z even more so'. States an extreme example with 连…也/都…, then escalates further with 更 (or 就更不用说了 = 'goes without saying'). Common in persuasive/argumentative writing.
Worked examples
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 他不但没有生气，反而笑了。 | Tā bú dàn méi yǒu shēng qì, fǎn ér xiào le. | Not only did he not get angry — on the contrary, he laughed. | Minimal 不但不/没…反而… frame: expected anger reversed into laughter |
| 面对批评，她不但不辩解，反而虚心接受。 | Miàn duì pī píng, tā bú dàn bú biàn jiě, fǎn ér xū xīn jiē shòu. | Facing criticism, she not only didn't argue back — on the contrary, she accepted it humbly. | Same pattern with a fuller context clause (面对批评) before the reversal |
| 这么晚还在工作，这不是辛苦，还是什么？ | Zhè me wǎn hái zài gōng zuò, zhè bú shì xīn kǔ, hái shì shén me? | Still working this late — if this isn't hard work, then what is? | New pattern: 不是…还是… rhetorical question reinforcing an obvious claim |
| 连三岁的孩子都知道要说谢谢，我们大人更应该懂礼貌。 | Lián sān suì de hái zi dōu zhī dào yào shuō xiè xie, wǒ men dà rén gèng yīng gāi dǒng lǐ mào. | Even a three-year-old knows to say thank you — we adults should understand manners even more. | New pattern: 连…都…更… — an extreme example escalated to a stronger conclusion |
| 连专家也解决不了这个难题，普通人就更不用说了。 | Lián zhuān jiā yě jiě jué bù liǎo zhè gè nán tí, pǔ tōng rén jiù gèng bú yòng shuō le. | Even experts can't solve this problem — it goes without saying that ordinary people can't either. | 连…也… variant (也 instead of 都) paired with the escalation phrase 就更不用说了 |
Word by word
Each word in this pattern on its own: what it does here, the structure, three more examples, and the mistake to avoid.
不但不…反而… (bú dàn bù…fǎn ér)
Says the expected result did not happen and the opposite did.
Structure: 不但不/没 + A，反而 + B
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 他不但不感谢我，反而怪我多事。 | Tā bú dàn bù gǎn xiè wǒ, fǎn ér guài wǒ duō shì. | Not only did he not thank me, he blamed me for interfering. |
| 雨不但不停，反而越下越大了。 | Yǔ bú dàn bù tíng, fǎn ér yuè xià yuè dà le. | The rain not only did not stop, it got heavier. |
| 吃了这么多药，病不但不见好，反而更重了。 | Chī le zhè me duō yào, bìng bú dàn bú jiàn hǎo, fǎn ér gèng zhòng le. | After so much medicine the illness did not improve, it got worse. |
Not: 他不但迟到，反而还很生气。 The first half must be negated (不但不/没), so that 反而 can show the reversal.
连…也… (lián…yě)
Gives an extreme example with 'even'; 也 completes it.
Structure: 连 + extreme case + 也 + verb phrase
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 连老师也不知道这个字怎么读。 | Lián lǎo shī yě bù zhī dào zhè ge zì zěn me dú. | Even the teacher does not know how to read this character. |
| 他太累了，连饭也没吃就睡着了。 | Tā tài lèi le, lián fàn yě méi chī jiù shuì zháo le. | He was so tired that he fell asleep without even eating. |
| 这里连一家小商店也没有。 | Zhè lǐ lián yì jiā xiǎo shāng diàn yě méi yǒu. | There is not even one small shop here. |
Not: 连他吃饭了。 连 needs 也 or 都 after the noun: 连他也吃饭了.
连…都… (lián…dōu)
The same 'even' pattern, usually a little stronger or more spoken than 连…也….
Structure: 连 + extreme case + 都 + verb phrase
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 连小孩子都明白这个道理。 | Lián xiǎo hái zi dōu míng bai zhè ge dào lǐ. | Even a small child understands this. |
| 他忙得连喝水的时间都没有。 | Tā máng de lián hē shuǐ de shí jiān dōu méi yǒu. | He is so busy he does not even have time for a drink of water. |
| 太热了，连风都是热的。 | Tài rè le, lián fēng dōu shì rè de. | It is so hot that even the wind is hot. |
Not: 他连一个字不认识。 连一个字 needs 也 or 都: 连一个字也不认识.
不是…还是什么 (bú shì…hái shi shén me)
A rhetorical question: 'if this is not A, what is it?', meaning it surely is A.
Structure: 这不是 A，还是什么？
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 他每天等你到很晚，这不是爱你，还是什么？ | Tā měi tiān děng nǐ dào hěn wǎn, zhè bú shì ài nǐ, hái shi shén me? | He waits for you late every day, if that is not love, what is it? |
| 一个月不回家，这不是不关心父母，还是什么？ | Yí ge yuè bù huí jiā, zhè bú shì bù guān xīn fù mǔ, hái shi shén me? | Not going home for a month, if that is not neglecting your parents, what is it? |
| 把别人的功劳说成自己的，这不是骗人，还是什么？ | Bǎ bié rén de gōng láo shuō chéng zì jǐ de, zhè bú shì piàn rén, hái shi shén me? | Claiming someone else's credit as your own, if that is not cheating, what is it? |
Not: 这不是帮忙，还是什么吗？ It is already a rhetorical question, so do not add 吗.
更不用说 (gèng bú yòng shuō)
Adds a harder case after an extreme one: 'let alone'.
Structure: 连 A 都 …，更不用说 B (了)
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 连中文课本都看不懂，更不用说读报纸了。 | Lián Zhōng wén kè běn dōu kàn bu dǒng, gèng bú yòng shuō dú bào zhǐ le. | He cannot even understand the textbook, let alone read a newspaper. |
| 平时连微信都很少用，更不用说发邮件了。 | Píng shí lián wēi xìn dōu hěn shǎo yòng, gèng bú yòng shuō fā yóu jiàn le. | I rarely use even a chat app, let alone send email. |
| 他连饭都舍不得吃，更不用说买新衣服了。 | Tā lián fàn dōu shě bu de chī, gèng bú yòng shuō mǎi xīn yī fu le. | He begrudges even food, let alone buying new clothes. |
Not: 连他都不知道，更不用我说了。 The fixed phrase is 更不用说; do not insert 我.
What you need first
Every topic in GraphChinese names its own prerequisites, and these are the grammar points this one is built on. If a sentence here will not parse, one of them is why.
What this opens up
These patterns list Progressive and Additive Compound Sentences among their own prerequisites, so they become readable once this one holds.
Questions about Progressive and Additive Compound Sentences
What does 递进复句 (Progressive and Additive Compound Sentences) mean in Chinese?
Progressive compound sentences move a step further. 不但不…反而… (not only not, but on the contrary) reverses the expected result, 不是…还是… is a rhetorical question, and 连…也/都…更… escalates from an extreme example. It is an HSK 6 grammar point.
How do you use 递进复句 (Progressive and Additive Compound Sentences) in a sentence?
他不但没有生气，反而笑了。 — Tā bú dàn méi yǒu shēng qì, fǎn ér xiào le. — Not only did he not get angry — on the contrary, he laughed. Minimal 不但不/没…反而… frame: expected anger reversed into laughter.
What do you need to know before 递进复句 (Progressive and Additive Compound Sentences)?
Advanced Conjunctions (HSK 6), 不但…而且… (HSK 4), Complex Sentences (HSK 5). This pattern is built out of them, so a sentence here that will not parse usually means one of them has not landed yet.
What does 递进复句 (Progressive and Additive Compound Sentences) lead to?
Alternative, Conditional and Concessive Compound Sentences (HSK 6), Multi-Layer Compound Sentences (HSK 6). Each of them names 递进复句 (Progressive and Additive Compound Sentences) among its own prerequisites.
What does 反而 do in 不但不…反而…?
反而 marks a reversal. The first half says the expected thing did not happen (不但不生气), and 反而 adds that something opposite did happen: 反而笑了。
Should I use 也 or 都 after 连?
Both are correct. 都 is a little more common and stronger in speech, and 也 is slightly more written. If the clause is negative, either works: 连他也/都不知道。
Progressive and Additive Compound Sentences is one topic of 829. GraphChinese teaches them in prerequisite order, so this pattern reaches you on the day everything it rests on is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
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