In view of the unclear action mechanism of modified alcohol amine in commercial reinforcers, the effects of modified alcohol amine (CS_M, CS_N and CS_O) on setting time and strength of paste were investigated, and the effects of modified alcohol amine on cement hydration process, hydration products and microstructure of paste were investigated by means of hydration heat, cement quantitative XRD and microstructure SEM test, and compared with triisopropanolamine (TIPA). The results show that TIPA, modified alcohol amine all show retarding properties, and CS_O has the strongest retarding property. In terms of strength, TIPA improves the strength development of cement paste during the test age, and CS_M improves the strength development of cement paste for 7 ～ 28 d, and the improvement effect is better than that of TIPA, CS_N and CS_O have negative effects on strength. In terms of mechanism, the addition of CS_M increases the hydration degree of cement mineral phase, optimizes the hydration rate, improves the microstructure of hydration products, promotes the interlacing of C-S-H, Ca(OH)₂ and ettringite, and improves the compactness of paste. TIPA promotes the hydration of C₄AF. CS_N and CS_O promote the hydration of C₃S and C₄AF, but the rapid hydration of mineral phase and compact microstructure can not achieve coordination. In terms of modification measures, compared with amino and hydroxyl modification, TIPA molecular weight modification is more helpful to improve cement hydration process, product distribution structure and promote the development of cement paste strength.