Shift through all 5 gears but the car does not go, clutch?

I am a woman so I hope I get the right words out for thus. If not I apologize. I can push in the clutch, start the car and shift through all 5 gears but the car does not go. When I put the car in neutral and do not push the clutch in there is a noise coming from the front end on the drivers side, which to me sounds like a "clanging" noise. My son who is going to high school to be a mechanic, says that the drive axle (?) Is turning in neutral but does not think that it should be? Can you tell me what is wrong with it?