That world famous athlete is guilty … way you look at it.

Analyze the question The sentence is: "That world famous athlete is guilty __ way you look at it." We need a word that fits before "way" and means "no matter which way."

Explain the concept "Whichever" is a determiner (relative adjective) used before a noun to mean "no matter which one of a set of choices." It fits "whichever way you look at it," meaning "no matter which of the possible ways you look at it."

Check the other options:

• whenever relates to time ("at any time that"), so it doesn't fit before "way."
• whatever can sometimes be used with nouns ("whatever way you look at it"), and in everyday speech it's heard. However, "whichever way" is the standard idiom, and it fits best when there is a limited set of viewpoints or perspectives.
• however is an adverb or conjunction and cannot directly modify a noun. "However way" is ungrammatical.

Solution

• "...guilty whichever way you look at it" is the established idiomatic expression.
• Meaning: the athlete is guilty from every possible point of view.

"Whatever way" is sometimes heard, but "whichever way you look at it" is the standard fixed phrase and the one examiners expect.

Tip Remember the phrase "whichever way you look at it" as a fixed idiom. Also, "however" cannot come directly before a noun, so you can eliminate it quickly. Use "which-" when there is a limited set of choices or ways, and "what-" when the range is open-ended.