Publication of research articles (RAs) in English seems a challenging task for native and non-native writers. The acquisition of rhetorical structure and function grammar can be very helpful for academicians to achieve the wanted goal which is, of course, the publication of their RAs. This study aims to investigate the current level of familiarity to academic rhetoric within a systematic functional grammar among the Iranian ESP [English for Specific Purposes] teachers and ESP course learners. The participants of the study consist of 10 ESP teachers and 85 learners at M.A. and PhD level at Ilam State University and Islamic Azad University of Ilam. Data collected through self-report questionnaires with 22 items. The findings of this study revealed that the familiarity of ESP teachers with structures is too high and learners are high.