Dear Teachers,
What I read was “Surgery to remove an inflamed appendix is immediate, but straightforward.”
I thought “immediate” and “straightforward” are the same ideas. Why does it say immediate “but” straightforward?
Hi apo
The word straightforward isn’t really synonymous with ‘immediate’. Straightforward indicates directness in the sense that what is being done is not done in a roundabout way.
For example, straightforward statement comes straight or directly to the point without beating around the bush. 
Amy
Hi all potted out,
Your sentence:
Throws up two ideas: the appendix is inflamed and therefore needs to be done immediately but although this is the case, the operation is straightforward meaning not complicated but routine.
Straightforward describes a process that is relatively simple to follow.
Possibly you are thinking of another word -straightaway meaning immediately. You could put the two words in the same sentence: Although the surgeon needs to operate straightaway, the operation is straightforward.
A