Spoken, TV/Movies, and Blog/Web Genres: Phrases like "hot seat" and "front seat" are notably more frequent in these informal and conversational genres. "Hot seat" appears especially common in spoken language, reflecting its idiomatic use in casual or interview contexts. "Front seat" is also prominent, particularly in fiction and TV/movies, where physical settings and character positioning are often described vividly. The higher frequency of "front seat" in fiction suggests a narrative focus on physical spatial relationships, while its presence in spoken and TV genres indicates everyday conversational references to car seating or metaphorical "front row" positions. Fiction and Magazine: These genres show a strong preference for phrases describing physical car seats or seating arrangements, such as "front seat," "empty seat," "rear seat," "comfortable seat," "wooden seat," "padded seat," and "usual seat." This pattern indicates a descriptive and immersive style typical of narrative and lifestyle writing, focusing on concrete details about settings and objects. "Wooden seat" and "padded seat" are particularly interesting as they evoke tactile imagery, which is common in fiction and magazines aiming to engage readers' senses. Newspaper and Academic: Political and formal terms dominate here, with phrases like "congressional seat," "open seat," "personal seat," "permanent seat," "legislative seat," "at-large seat," and "parliamentary seat" occurring more frequently. This reflects the genres' focus on politics and governance, where "seat" commonly refers to positions of authority or office rather than physical seating. The academic genre also shows some usage of "permanent seat," consistent with formal discussions about institutional roles or international bodies. General Observations: - The "middle seat," "best seat," and "front-row seat" appear across multiple genres but with varying frequencies, showing their dual usage both literally (car or theater seating) and metaphorically (position or advantage). - Phrases like "driving seat" occur more in spoken and blog genres, consistent with informal speech and metaphorical uses of control or leadership. - Some physical seat descriptors such as "third-row seat" and "extra seat" are more common in magazines and newspapers, possibly reflecting consumer or lifestyle reporting on cars or venues. In sum, the distribution of "ADJ seat" phrases across COCA genres reveals a clear split between literal and metaphorical uses: informal and narrative genres emphasize physical seating, while formal and informational genres focus on political or institutional seats. This division aligns closely with the communicative purposes and typical topics of each genre.