Writing Questions help?

<ol>
<li>(Although raining), everyone who (had come) to the premiere of the new film (was) determined to remain in a long line (rather than) go home. </li>
</ol>

<p>I chose although raining but why isn't it had come?</p>

<p>2.(Contrasting) a resume, a cover letter allows job applications (to write in) a (more conversational) style and to suggest (their) possible contributions to a company's success. </p>

<p>I chose (to write in) because i thought that it's suggesting that the job applications are writing so should be changed to (are written in) but the answer is contrasting</p>

<ol>
<li>On her second attempt (of rowing) across the Atlantic Ocean (on her own), Tori Murden accomplished (what) no citizen of the United States (had before).</li>
</ol>

<p>I answer is (of rowing) why is that grammatically wrong and what should it be changed to?</p>

<p>I’m not a pro or anything. Just my opinions.</p>

<p>1) I usually look for an error, and if i spot it and i know that it is that error, i just move one(could be a bad thing). The sentence is saying that “Although raining” modifies everyone. I don’t believe everyone is although raining. Or you can ask “What is raining?–everyone?” Maybe you could fix by writing-- Although the sky is raining, everyone… I think had come is correct because it is a past perfect tense, meaning it is a past action that happened/finished before another past action. In this case, everyone “had come” was an action that occured before they determined to remain.</p>

<p>2)This is a faulty comparison, it should read “Contrasting that of a resume, a cover letter…” . Your phrase “are written in”, you should try to plug it back it, and you’l see it’s a lot more awkard. → Contrasting a resume, a cover letter allows job applicants are written in a more. Maybe it has to do with “allow” being the main verb of the clause.</p>

<p>3) I think it is an idiomatic expression error. You don’t usually say -They gave me another “attempt of” __<strong><em>. You would say - They gave me another attempt at _</em></strong>.</p>

<p>Anyone feel free to correct me, I learn through mistake, not success :)</p>

<p>1) ‘Although raining’ makes it seem like the subject ‘everyone’ is performing the action ‘raining’. Had come is correct because those people came in the past, and are now standing there.
2) In contrast with/to…
Are you sure that the question didn’t say ‘job applicants’ instead of ‘job applications’?
3) to row</p>

<p>Thanks that helps a lot</p>

<p>Actually now that i look back at it can someone explain why it’s to row instead of “of rowing” for number 3. Or is the answer “On her second attempt at rowing” because that sounds correct but i’m not sure.</p>