Free seat

[Topstudent]

The teacher had just closed the door to the classroom when it opened and a boy came in. The boy apologized for being late, then found a free seat in the back row next to Mark.

Is 'free' and 'seat' what you would use here?

 

[Piscean]

That's one possibility.

 

[SoothingDave]

I would say "an open seat."

"Free" isn't wrong, just not natural to me.

 

[emsr2d2]

I would say "an open seat."

"Free" isn't wrong, just not natural to me.

That's definitely an AmE v BrE difference then. "Open seat" would be unnatural in BrE. I'd use "free seat", "empty seat" or "somewhere to sit".

 

[tedmc]

Or vacant/unoccupied seat.

 

[Rover_KE]

… or ‘… found a seat’.
…. or ‘… sat (down)’.

 

[jutfrank]

I think I might use just 'seat' or possibly 'place' or 'place to sit'. But I like Rover_KE's 'sat down' the most.