One of the common functions that the conjunction particle て has, is that it can contrast things that share some sort of relationship. This is similar to the contrastive use of は. In order to identify this nuance of て, we will need to think about whether the things being described are happening one after the other, or are simply describing ‘(A), and then (B)’. Let’s look at some examples.

• お姉（ねえ）ちゃんは毎晩（まいばん）勉強（べんきょう）をして弟（おとうと）は毎晩（まいばん）ゲームをしている。
  My older sister studies every night, and my younger brother plays games.
• 妻（つま）は買（か）い物（もの）に行（い）って、私（わたし）はごみを捨（す）てに行（い）った。
  My wife went shopping, while I went to throw away the trash.
• タケルはご飯（はん）を食（た）べてナオミはパンを食（た）べる。
  Takeru eats rice, and Naomi eats bread.

Due to this ‘contrast’ that is shown with て, sometimes it is translated as ‘while (A), also (B)’. The primary difference between this nuance of て, and other ‘while’ or ‘but’ grammar points, is that (A) and (B) will always have equal weight/importance in a て sentence. Comparatively, structures like けど, のに, だが and similar points will usually imply that either (A) or (B) is more important in some way.

• 朝（あさ）は雨（あめ）が降（ふ）って夕方（ゆうがた）は晴（は）れた。
  It rained this morning, and then it cleared up in the afternoon. (There is no particular emphasis on either event)
• 朝（あさ）は雨（あめ）が降（ふ）ったけど夕方（ゆうがた）は晴（は）れた。
  It rained this morning, but then it cleared up in the afternoon. (There is emphasis on that it stopped raining)