If you would be so kind as to hold my briefcase a minute, I can/could move this table.

[nohabloingleas]

"If you would be so kind as to hold my briefcase a minute, I can/could move this table" - These are two answers to a task in the book "Grammar and Vocabulary for Cambridge Advanced and Proficiency". I believe COULD is the better option, while the answer sheet says CAN.

The task states - "Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it is as similar in meaning as possible to the sentence before it." The sentence that needs to be transformed is "Could you hold my briefcase a minute so I can move this table".

Which is better can or could?

 

[Tarheel]

I wanted to say "could" at first, but the form is "If you do X then I can do Y." In other words, X has to happen before Y can happen.

In a practical sense, it's not logical. That is, if he needs to move the table he can set the briefcase on the floor first.

 

[jutfrank]

Your answer of 'could' isn't strictly wrong but there's no need for it, since 'can' suffices, and minimal transformation is required for this kind of exercise.

 

[emsr2d2]

The following are all possible:

If you could hold my briefcase, I could move the table.
If you could hold my briefcase, I can move the table.
If you can hold my briefcase, I could move the table.
If you can hold my briefcase, I can move the table.

The most natural version, for me, would be:
If you hold my briefcase, I'll move the table.