Grafting of methyl methacrylate on cellulosic materials by chain transfer under the catalytic influence of azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) was extensively studied. The graft yield is influenced by reaction time, temperature, monomer and initiator concentration, reaction medium and nature of the substrate. In general, the grafting reaction shows an induction period after which the polymerisation proceeds rapidly. The graft yield increases and the induction period decreases by rising the reaction temperature from 50 to 70°C. This is also the case when the monomer concentration was increased from 2 to 6%. Increasing the AIBN concentration up to 0.01 M causes a significant enhancement in grafting while further increase brings about a marked fall in the graft yield. Among the reaction media studied, a water/solvent mixture containing 25% of either methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol or acetone seems to constitute a reaction medium where the monomer and initiator are completely miscible and the swelling of cellulose by water is not hindered by the presence of these solvents. Increasing the solvent ratio in the water/solvent mixture causes a considerable decrease in the graft yield. The polymer content of the cellulosic materials, i. e. the graft yield, follows the order: partially carboxymethylated cotton > cotton treated with 12N sodium hydroxide > cyanoethylated cotton > cotton treated with 0.5 N sodium hydroxide > purified cotton. In addition, proof of grafting was provided by the fractional precipitation method.