"I slide open the junk drawer." In this sentence, why there are two verbs, 'slide' and 'open' in a one sentence...?? I don't know how to explain it to my friend😓

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"To slide open" is a separable phrasal verb.

Phrasal Verbs
▪[ main verb + particle (preposition or adverb) ]

In this case, "open" is not really a verb but a particle (an adverb).

Direct Object = the junk drawer
Main Verb = to slide
Particle = open

Since we are using the noun "drawer" as a direct object, it can go before or after "open" without changing the meaning of the sentence, i.e. "I slide the junk drawer open" or "I slide open the junk drawer."


Direct Object = the shirt
Main Verb = to take
Particle = back
1) I need to [take back] the shirt I lent you.
2) I need to [take] the shirt I lent you [back].

Direct Object = the TV
Main Verb = to turn
Particle = off
1) Please [turn off] the TV.
2) Please [turn] the TV [off].

Direct Object = the old pizza
Main Verb = to throw (*threw)
Particle = away
1) I [threw away] the old pizza.
2) I [threw] the old pizza [away].


However, when the direct object is a pronoun (< me, you, him, her, us, them, it >), then it MUST go in the middle:

I [threw] <it> [away]. ✅
I [threw away] <it>.❌

They’ll [pick] <him> [up] from the airport. ✅
They’ll [pick up] <him> from the airport.❌

They really [let] <me> [down]. ✅
They really [let down] <me>. ❌