Te form standing alone


If て form is used alone what can it mean? from what I've found on my own it
can be a request similar to てください as well as a direct command, but are there
other ways to use it alone besides to link two verbs together? The reason I
ask this is I saw the phrase "おそくなって すみません". I know It says sorry I'm late due
to the fact that おそくなって is the て form of to be late but I'm confused as to why
the て form was used here.

Sorry if the answer is obvious here and thank you for any assistance




In this case, the 〜て form is just acting as "and" to connect separate clauses.

>   * 昨日、買い物にいって、たこ焼きを食べて、[阪神]{はん・しん}タイガースの試合をみました。 → Yesterday I went
> shopping, (and) ate takoyaki, and watched the Tigers game.
>   * おそくなってすみません。 → I was late (and) I'm sorry.
>




In this case, the 〜て form is just acting as "and" to connect separate clauses.

>   * 昨日、買い物にいって、たこ焼きを食べて、[阪神]{はん・しん}タイガースの試合をみました。 → Yesterday I went
> shopping, (and) ate takoyaki, and watched the Tigers game.
>   * おそくなってすみません。 → I was late (and) I'm sorry.
>

