Could you tell me if it is correct and natural to say you might have wanted to do something as a less direct way to say you should have done something? For example:
The steak is a tad overcooked. You might have wanted to keep over fire a little bit less.
What I am trying to say is that the person should have kept it over fire less. I wanted to convey it in a polite, not overbearing way. If that is not the most correct and natural way to say that, would you tell me what you would say?
Well yes your Idea is basically correct. However your execution is, well just that an execution. Instead of it turning out polite it has come out as sarcastic.
The steak is a tad overcooked. You might have wanted to keep over fire a little bit less.
First phrase "The steak is a tad overcooked" This is both rather blunt and opinionated. It may be over cooked for you but just right for someone else or else it is burnt and your comments are then seen as being sarcastic.
The steak is a tad overcooked, for me.
Your personal preference is for a slightly less cooked steak, takes the onus of the chief (not bad cooking) but your preference.
Second phrase, this may not even be necessary as the cook knows what to do, however if you want to push it!
The steak is a tad overcooked for me, next time, would you mind taking it off the grill a little bit sooner?
"would you" and "would you mind" are both seen as being polite requests.
"You might have wanted to keep over fire a little bit less", is so indirect that the meaning becomes unclear.
I would say the following instead:
It was a tad overcooked. *A 'tad' means a little so no need to repeat this by saying it again.
Maybe it was a little overdone. *overdone means overcooked.
Note that when you say 'it' the person doesn't take it as personally as if you were to use the pronoun 'you'.
