"Another category are/is appearance-based methods"

Question

Another category of vision-based methods for fall detection are appearance-based methods, which can be applied even with a single camera, but can also benefit from multiple cameras so that they cover larger areas.

In the above sentence, is it wrong to use are?

It's not "fall detection are", it's "vision-based methods are", where the subject and verb agree (unless it's "another category are", where the subject and verb disagree again). — Peter Shor, Feb 25 '13 at 22:27
I assume that "another category is appearance-based methods". — FihopZz, Feb 25 '13 at 22:28
so my actual question is that is "are" for category or methods. Why is it for methods? — FihopZz, Feb 25 '13 at 22:29
Yeah, but you shouldn't hafta assume anything. It's just badly written, is all. — John Lawler, Feb 25 '13 at 22:30
It really should be is, but the nested prepositional phrases make it easy to get confused, even for native speakers. — Peter Shor, Feb 25 '13 at 22:30

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Feb 25 '13 at 22:38

0

Summarising the comments: yes, are here should be is. Not, though, because of "for fall detection are" (which is irrelevant), but because of "Another category...are..." The author's syntax is so contorted he has even confused himself.

answered Feb 25 '13 at 22:38

Tim Lymington

35,168

"Another category are/is appearance-based methods"

1 Answers1

Linked