连…都 / 连…也【lián … dōu / lián … yě】

连…都 picks out the most extreme case to make a point: if even this is true, everything else is too. 连 goes before the extreme item, and 都 or 也 goes before the verb. The two mean the same here.

Most 连 sentences are negative, or report something surprising.

The object moves before the verb

When the extreme item is the object, it leaves its usual place after the verb and goes between 连 and 都.

• × 他没吃连饭 → 他连饭都没吃
• × 我忘了连他的名字 → 我连他的名字都忘了

The subject can be the extreme item

Then 连 goes at the very start.

Don't leave out 都 / 也

连 can't do the job alone.

• × 连老师不知道 → 连老师都不知道
• × 他连一句话没说 → 他连一句话都没说

连 + 一 + measure word

With 一 + a measure word, 连…也 / 都 + a negative means "not a single one".