There are six basic programs in the Hot Potatoes suite:
- JBC creates multiple-choice quizzes. Each question can have as many answers as you like, and any number of them can be correct. Specific feedback is given to the student in response to each answer, and a percentage score is displayed after each correct answer is chosen.
- JQuiz creates short-answer quizzes, in which the student types in a word or a sentence in response to a question. The sentences are checked against correct answers you have specified (you can have as many as you like), and the feedback shows which parts of a student's answer are correct. The student can ask for a hint if necessary, and see the next correct letter in the answer.
- JCloze creates gap-fill exercises. Unlimited correct answers can be specified for each gap, and the student can ask for a hint and see a letter of the correct answer. A specific clue can also be included for each gap. Automatic scoring is also included. The program allows gapping of selected words, or the automatic gapping of every nth word in a text.
- JCross creates crossword puzzles which can be completed online. You can use a grid of virtually any size. As in JQuiz and JCloze, a hint button allows the student to request a free letter if help is needed.
- JMix creates jumbled-sentence exercises. You can specify as many different correct answers as you want, based on the words and punctuation in the base sentence, and a hint button prompts the student with the next correct word or segment of the sentence if needed.
- JMatch creates matching or ordering exercises. A list of fixed items appears on the left (these can be pictures or text), wth jumbled items on the right. This can be used for matching vocabulary to pictures or translations, or for ordering sentences to form a sequence or a conversation.