The current study has examined anaphoric and cataphoric reference in Kurdish EFL learners and native English students' writing. Moreover, this study sheds a light on how often all cohesive devices are used by both Kurdish EFL learners and native English students, and what the role of all types of cohesive devices are in academic writing. A questionnaire has been completed among senior students at Salahaddin University/ College of Languages/ English Department in Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The purpose behind the questionnaire was to examine how much knowledge Kurdish EFL learners have about using anaphoric and cataphoric reference in their writing, and then using other cohesive devices in academic writing.