At the canal lock
An original fiction passage set in the nineteenth century.
Martin reached the canal lock before sunrise and found the water pressing hard against the wooden gates. He braced one boot against the beam and released the catch. The chain leapt over its wheel, clattering like coins scattered across a stone floor. Slowly, the gate yielded and the waiting barge began to move forwards. From the towpath, the boatman raised a hand in thanks.
Identify the phrase which uses a comparison with money to describe the noise of the chain.
456 exam-style questions on Edexcel GCSE English Language 1.3 Content: prose fiction study requirements, covering 1.3.1 Read challenging prose fiction for the unseen 19th-century extract. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.