STRENGTHEN vs PRACTICE vs MASTER SKILL

[ppstrong]

Duolingo is becoming too complicated!
I know what STRENGTHEN does. But now on my iPhone STRENGTHEN has been replaced with PRACTICE which looks like is used to refill my "health". And I don't know what the MASTER SKILL is for. What's the difference between it and the PRACTICE? Is it just for monetization since every time you MASTER SKILL you will be charged 200 gems!!!!!!!

Could anyone explain them for me?

[OmegaGmaster]

Strengthen = Practice.

As for the Master skill, I have no clue, but I heard it has had some issues in the past. I would stop using the mobile app altogether and switch to the mobile site, as you get tips and notes, no health, and the Discussion forums.

[Addkdjndjd]

Do you know if they have fixed the Health Glitch on app yet?

[OmegaGmaster]

I'm unaware of the Health Glitch, so probably not. Could you enlighten me?

[pentaan]

Information about the Master skill
https://www.reddit.com/r/duolingo/comments/6knm0q/master_skill_what_is_this_trash/

[Usagiboy7]

Super useful info. As always, thanks Pentaan!

[jimnicholson]

Never seen it myself, but apparently Master Skill is a way of making the skill stay gold for longer.

[Thomas.Heiss]

Don't use the NEW "Master skill" option. It is buggy:
https://www.duolingo.com/comment/24933492/MASTER-SKILL-not-working-in-app

[Usagiboy7]

Most recent comment in that discussion from three weeks ago:

Jonathan369821
@kaeladedah et al. Master Skill is working again and since the only update came from Apple with 11.1 that must have fixed whatever was causing the communication gap. It would sure be handy to have all of those gems (around 1600) that I lost back so that I could use them to Master Skills...

:)