English work metres into exposed seam (4)

I believe the answer is:

emma

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'english work' is the definition.
'emma' can be an answer for 'work' (I have seen 'classic work' mean 'emma' so perhaps 'work' could also mean 'emma'). I'm not sure about the 'english' bit.

'metres into exposed seam' is the wordplay.
'metres' becomes 'mm' (the abbreviation for metre written twice).
'into' is an insertion indicator.
'exposed' means to look at the middle letters (outside letters removed).
The centre of 'seam' is 'ea'.
'mm' going inside 'ea' is 'EMMA'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for emma that I've seen before include "novelist's work" , "Novel by June Austen" , "Female" , "Victorian prime minister" , "companion for Nelson" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

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