The use of grammatical devices to achieve cohesion in Grade 12 EFAL learners’ essays in Malamulele South Circuit

English writing proficiency is essential for learners of English as a First Additional Language (EFAL) in South Africa. Achieving this requires writers to use precise vocabulary, appropriate expressions and well-structured sentences, which is challenging for most students. The aim of this study is to identify patterns in the use of grammatical cohesion and to highlight the challenges that learners face in achieving coherent writing. The study explored the use of grammatical cohesion among Grade 12 English First Additional Language (EFAL) learners with particular emphasis on students in the Malanulele South Circuit of South Africa. A qualitative approach was adopted to examine the types of grammatical cohesive devices that learners use in their written texts. Data was collected from learners’ essays and analysed using thematic content analysis. The study found that the Grade 12 First Additional Language learners in the Malamulele South Circuit use all types of grammatical references, such as personal, demonstrative, comparative, and definite articles, as cohesive devices in their English essays. However, the study also found errors in addition and mismatches in the learners’ essays. The results indicate that the Grade 12 First Additional Language learners in the Malamulele South circuit relatively use reference as their cohesive device in English essays. Also, most writing challenges are in the application of personal pronouns, which require special attention from teachers and learners. The study recommends that essay-writing lessons be taught alongside cohesive devices. This study contributes to the scholarship on second language writing by providing context-specific insights into the use of grammatical cohesion among students.