How To Use JMIX (HOT POTATOES)

 

 

How to Create a Quiz in JMix (Hot Potatoes)

A simple and clear step-by-step guide. JMix is one of the Hot Potatoes tools used to create  “jumbled-sentence quizzes”. Students are asked to rearrange words or parts of a sentence into the correct order. It is useful for grammar, sentence structure, and writing practice.

1.      Open the JMix Application

·         Install Hot Potatoes (if not installed yet).

·         Open “Hot Potatoes”.

·         Click “JMix” from the main menu.

This opens the JMix workspace where you can begin creating your quiz.

2.       Enter Your Sentence

·         In the main JMix window, you will see an empty text area.

·         Type the *correct sentence* that you want students to reconstruct.

    Example: "My flight was delayed for two hours."

This is the base sentence JMix will use to create jumbled segments.

3.      Create the Jumbled Segments

JMix can automatically break the sentence into words, or you can choose your own segments.

Option A — Automatic Segments

·         Click “Auto-Divide”

·         The program will separate the sentence into individual words.

Option B — Manual Segments

·         Click “Add Segment”

·         Type your own segment (word or phrase).

·         Repeat until your entire sentence is divided.

Manual segments are helpful if you want:

-          phrase-level jumbles

-          grammar-focused segments

-          more control over difficulty

4.      Add Alternative Correct Answers (Optional)

JMix allows more than one correct arrangement.

·         Click “Add Alternative” button.

·         Enter another acceptable sentence order.

    Example: “My flight was delayed for 2 hours.” (number variation)

·         Save the alternative version.

This helps when more than one arrangement is logically correct.

5.      Add Instructions and Feedback

-          Click “Options → Configure Output”

-          Add:

Instructions for students

     Example: “Rearrange the parts to form a correct sentence.”

·         “Feedback messages” (Correct / Try again)

·         “Title” of the exercise

This makes your quiz clearer and more user-friendly.

6.       Save Your JMix File

·         Click “File → Save As”

·         Save the file (example: JMix_FlightDelay.jmx)

This saves the editable project.

7.      Export the Quiz to HTML (Web Format)

To make the quiz playable in a web browser:

·         Click “File → Create Web Page → Standard Format”

·         Save the HTML file

·         Now your quiz can be opened in any browser such as Chrome, Firefox, Edge, etc.

Students can now rearrange the sentence and check their answers interactively.

8.       Preview Your JMix Quiz

Before giving it to students:

·         Click the “Preview” button

·         Try solving the quiz yourself

·         Check:

-          Segments are correct

-          The instructions are clear

-          The layout looks good