The shifter feels like it's stuck in gear but only goes up and down. Barley drives

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It does drive but u can't accelerate fast and revs up when u push the gas pedal but doesn't go faster. My friend said that is a clutch. But the shifter doesn't engage at all. It just feels stuck in gear but I'm not able to shift the gears into another gear. I took the console out and the left gear shifter cable I detached cause their was no play unless I did. I just freely goes up and down but not sideways and it won't go into gear just stays in higher gear cause when I do move it takes alot of clutch and higher reving up to move then goes really slow and it takes a while to get up to speed. Help! I'm a single mom of 3 kids that traded this car for a kayak cause I have not been able to work and lost my car. I'm doing all the work and have guy friends but I can't wait around for them to get the time to look at it!