nothing but empathy for those of my ilk still trying to roll that ol' boulder whatever up the hill.]
In case you might be interested in another teacher's methods... I would make editing (of grammar, usage, orthography, etc. :-) another lesson after my students handed in their writing
Okay, I can't pass this one up, especially as you go on to say my apologies for getting pedantic. :-) So I'm sure you'll take this in the right spirit.
There is no such thing as an ilk: it's not a kind or kidney or class. The word means 'same' and exists only by virtue of the expression 'of that ilk', where 'that' is an oblique case of 'the'. It is used in territorial designations of Scottish families: where there is a place called, say, Hamilton, giving rise to a surname of Hamilton (or de Hamilton). If this family then spreads it is necessary to differentiate the Hamiltons of Strathcona from the Hamiltons of Hamilton. These latter are called Hamilton of that Ilk, i.e. Hamilton of the same.
As this is a technical term of heraldry or land tenure, I think it's a mistake to misuse it and misuse can't be sanctioned by continued usage.
