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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.
