Stephen & Gerald,

There are often adverbial clauses serving in an adjectival function.  The corresponding infinitive phrases are sometimes called "small clauses."  Such modifiers for place and time are often full clauses:

C. They went to the park where kids play. They went to the park for kids to play in.

D. They planned a meeting when they could discuss the job requirements. They planned a meeting to discuss the job requirements. 

The ease of interpreting such phrases as adverbials of purpose modifying the main verb, seems to be the force for making these full clauses.  Similarly the sample sentences might be supplied with full clauses:

A: A good reason that we might sell the house. 
B: Sparrow needed something that she could distract the guards with. 

--- [log in to unmask] wrote:

From: Gerald Walton <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Adjective or adverb?
Date:         Fri, 27 May 2011 20:52:21 -0500

My view is that they are both adjectival since they both modify nouns or 
pronouns. Gerald

On 5/27/2011 7:39 PM, Stephen King wrote:
> An embarrassing question: Are the infinitive phrases in the following sentences adjectival or
> adverbial?
>
> A. We were looking for a good reason to sell the house.
>
> B. Sparrow needed something to distract the guards.

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