Grammar Mistakes and etc.

These are the rules that I regularly have problems with:
-maintaining a constant tense
-commas
-many times I use commas, when a colon would be more fitting
-I am a terrible speller; they invented spell check for people like me
-how to properly quote someone
-I also write the same way I speak, this is a huge problem! Things in my head make perfect sense, but translating that into my writing is not always clear

Grammar- to me is using words together in a ways that flow for the reader.

Punctuation- this is hard, because I love to emphasize my words by using exclamation points, and using several periods in a row, to over exaggerate a pause

Spelling- as I mentioned above, this is a huge weak point for me, and I rely heavily on a dictionary

Subject-verb agreement- they should agree in number, as in when you have more than one subject, then the verb should be plural

Passive-active voice- staying in the same tense throughout the sentence and throughout the article.

I think that the main reason that I continue to make these mistakes is because of lack of practice. Writing is like a sport, and the more you do it, the better you will become at it. Considering that writing and reading is so vital to communication and essentially our survival and success, I think that students are not held to a high enough standard. Our elementary through high schools are getting better at this in the last several years, but we still need to do better. I know that when I was in my high school honors English, I did just enough to get by. I only wish that I had worked harder and concentrated more now. English, and the proper rules are vital to all subjects. I think that is the only reason that I have improved my skills in college, because nearly all courses require some writing.