<B>Abstract</B><P>Ionic liquid (IL) 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dimethylphosphate ([Emim]DMP) was chosen as an environment-friendly solvent to enzymatically hydrolyze cellulose in situ. Under optimal reaction condition, 80.2 % of cellulose (10 mg mL−1) were converted to glucose in aqueous-IL-DMSO (φ r = 74: 25: 1) media at 55°C in 18 h. Finally, fermentability of the recovered hydrolyzates was evaluated using Saccharomyces cerevisiae which is able to ferment hydrolyzates efficiently, the ethanol production was 0.44 g g−1 of glucose within 24 h of the process. Such information is vital for the saccharification of more complex cellulose materials and for the fermentation of hydrolyzates into biofuel.</P>