Verb sentences can be joined to form a single sentence using the te-form of verbs. Two (or more) sequential activities are put in one sentence in the order in which they happen. Tense of the whole sentence is indicated by the last verb. Various patterns can be used for the sentence ending.
がっこうは 八時半に はじまって、四時に おわります。
School begins at 8:30 and ends at 4:00.
あしたは 十時ごろ ホテルを でて、かいものを して、駅まで 行きましょう。
Tomorrow, let's leave the hotel at around 10:00, do some shopping, and [then] go to the station.
いもうとは きょねん ちゅうがっこうを でて、こうとうがっこうに 入りました。
Last year, my younger sister graduated from middle school and entered high school.
Use of this construction is not limited to temporal listing of actions. When no temporal meaning is involved, the order of the verbs is arbitrary. In the example below, the first half and the second half of the sentences are interchangeable.
一階には 銀行が あって、二階には 本屋が あります。
On the first floor there is a bank, and on the second floor there is a bookstore.
二階には 本屋が あって、一階には 銀行が あります。
On the first floor there is a bank, and on the second floor there is a bookstore.